It's my choice, just be okay with it already.

It's not an NZ thing. I got the same speech when I asked about sterilization. I don't want kids, never have, and I don't see myself changing my mind on this. Plus, I really also *shouldn't* get pregnant, given my health issues. I was 23 at the time, and my gyn was of the opinion that I am waaaay too young to make such a decision. Her best line was "Just wait, some day you'll meet the man of your dreams and then you'll regret this". I told her I was already with the man of my dreams, and he didn't want children either. Still didn't help any, though.

It is not just a NZ thing. I remember before my daughter was born I told everyone I did not want any children, period. I got every comment from that I looked like the "mommy type" to that I would change my mind. So yeah, eventually I had an unplanned pregnancy and I have an awesome child because of it. I mean it is so crazy obvious my daughter was unplanned. I am 21, I'm not married, etc. However everyone STILL asks when I am having another child. When I say I am happy with one, I get told everything from that my child needs another sibling to that I would change my mind if I were in a different relationship (which is so insulting to the father of my child). So don't feel like it is just for this or that reason. People for whatever reason have this mentality that women are baby making machines who WANT children.

My husband and I have no desire for children AT ALL, but of course no doctor would give me a permanent way to ensure that just yet. I often hear, "You'll change your mind," and all I can think is, "You have absolutely no idea why I've made this choice, and how important it is to me."

Have you seen the commercials for Mirena? It's an IUD (goes in your uterus for 5 years), and they only allow women who have already had a child to have one. I guess there could be other reasons for this, like maybe there's the potential that it could make you permanently sterile (in which case they should still allow women to get it that don't want any kids).

I have also heard that they are much more likely to allow minority or poor women to get these permanent/temporary sterilization devices because there is the assumption that poorer women have too many kids or that they shouldn't be having kids. So maybe the doctors think YOU should be a baby-making machine, but they might not have equal feelings toward all women.

BTW I think it's kind of noble for people to not want kids; there are too many people already. ...do kinda want one myself though

yup I actually have a Mirena IUD. But I dont like it and want to have it removed. They put it in during my last surgery because they think it is stoping endometriosis from spreading so i thought I would give it a try as I cant seem to get rid of the endo, damn it.

I'm planning on getting my tubes tied (I might go as far as a hysterectomy) as soon as I can. I have no desire to have children. I would much rather adopt a deserving healthy child than spend 9 months carrying my own, probably passing down my health problems, and spending all my money and losing work time just so I can "pass down" my genes to the next generation like it's some sentimental ritual we all must complete.