"I've been in a caretaking role for most of my life. We lost my dad when I was 11, and my mom had a stroke soon after. As the only girl in a Latino immigrant family, I grew up carrying responsibility early. That early experience of taking care of my family members, coupled with my take-charge personality, has shaped every stage of my life, including my decision not to have children."
"In the town I come from, it's really common to stay here, fall in love, get married, and start a family. But it was never a path I saw for myself, partially because my upbringing had provided me with very strong lessons about what it takes to raise kids. In high school, when everyone was dating, I remember thinking marriage and kids weren't interesting to me."
"Then, in my mid-20s, I had a spinal injury that left me learning how to walk again. The chronic pain that followed, combined with severe menstrual issues I'd spent years normalizing, made me unsure whether my body could handle pregnancy and birth. I was already living with so much pain that the idea of adding more felt like too big a sacrifice."
Kim Izaguirre-Merlos grew up in a Latino immigrant household and became the primary caretaker after her father died and her mother suffered a stroke. As the only girl in the family, she assumed responsibility early and developed a take-charge personality that influenced life choices, including rejecting traditional paths of marriage and parenthood. A spinal injury in her mid-20s and chronic pain, along with severe menstrual issues, created uncertainty about her ability to safely carry a pregnancy. In her mid-30s she considered motherhood after falling in love, but her mother's illness and commitment to immediate family led her to prioritize caregiving over starting her own family. She now lives with and cares for her mother and extended family.
Read at Business Insider
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