Lifespan: The Revolutionary Science of Why We Age—and Why We Don't Have To

by David A. Sinclair

This army could be augmented by billions of additional women if they can be provided much longer windows of opportunity for pregnancy and parenting. Animal studies in my lab indicate that the window of female fertility could be extended by up to a decade. This is an exciting prospect because, in the United States, 43 percent of women step away from their careers for a period of time, almost always to shoulder the burden of child rearing. Many never return to work. As a woman’s lifespan and fertility lengthens, the consequences of taking a break will be seen as relatively minor. By this century’s end, we will almost certainly look back with sadness at the world we currently inhabit, in which so many people, particularly women, are forced to choose between parenting and career success.