Please help me find this dystopia about population control

[Diamondgemstones]

I vaguely remember reading the first chapter(s) of a book (not YA), that involved a couple having to see a gynecologist/doctor. The news they were told crushed them and forced them into a dilemma. The man had a great job and was eying a (government?) promotion and the couple's social status was fairly high. I'm not sure, but I think the couple had been concealing the fact that she was pregnant for a couple of months leading up to the visit. They were being driven to and away from the doctor's in automatic cars.

When the couple decides to go off the grid after the doctor's appointment they are forced to steer their car manually because the government had already rerouted their ride to another destination - presumably to a police station, government officials or a medical clinic - and were hot on their heels the moment they saw that the protagonists were not going to their planned destination.

It wasn't Abel Keogh's The Third (which at first I thought it was but I just read it) and it's probably not Veracity by Laura Bynum either. It was a dystopia (don't remember if it was post-apocalyptic or not) and the first few chapters focused solely on the couple's trip and their decision to do anything to continue her pregnancy, even if it'd cost them their pretty high social status and their job(s).

If any of this rings a bell, I'd love to hear your thoughts on which book this is! Guesses are fine too. I have been wanting to buy it for such a long time but haven't had any luck so far. Please help me if you think you've read something similar, some details are fuzzy in my mind so I could've written an inaccuracy or two describing it. If you know any other great dystopias dealing with government population control and one or two-child policies I'd like that too. Thank you very much!

[Bárbara]

Brave new world!

[Diamondgemstones]

Bárbara wrote: "Brave new world!"

That isn't it but thanks! Great choice, though. Brave New World is one of my favorite books of all-time, it's a breath-taking work of genius. :)

[Philip]

I was going to suggest The Children of Men, because I recall a pregnant woman in a car, but that doesn't sound like it either.

[Grace]

MATCHED by Ally Condie about a society that decides everything about everyone except if they want to marry (not who). And Cassia has a conflicting emotions because of something that happens at her matching ceremony.

ENDER'S GAME by Orson Scott Card about Ender Wiggin who is referred to as a 'third' because he is the third child in his family when every other family has two children due to population control, but because the other Wiggin kids almost made the cut, a third child was allowed. An alien force is invading Earth known as 'buggers' who are threatening the human race. The peoples solution is to find genious kids and train them to be military leaders. Ender's is the best of the best, so he must go through training, which sparks some live saving ideas.

[Kurosakigorey]

Could it be Margaret Peterson Haddix's Shadow Children series? The Talbots are characters in the book which fit your description perfectly I think.

[Mary]

I know it's not Matched by Ally Condie, but that is a great book and series to read!

[Anna]

The shadow children, by Margret Peterson Haddix? It's a great series!!

[Diamondgemstones]

Philip wrote: "I was going to suggest The Children of Men, because I recall a pregnant woman in a car, but that doesn't sound like it either."

No, it isn't, I've read it recently. But thank you so much anyway! :)

[Diamondgemstones]

Kurosakigorey wrote: "Could it be Margaret Peterson Haddix's Shadow Children series? The Talbots are characters in the book which fit your description perfectly I think."

Wow, I'm going to check out that series asap! I vaguely remember having the first in the series in ebook form somewhere... Thank you SO much for your help. You're awesome! Let's hope it is the one I'm looking for but if the description fits like you say it's probably the right one. :)

Anna wrote: "The shadow children, by Margret Peterson Haddix? It's a great series!!"

I'm going to check The Shadow Children out asap, someone else mentioned it too - so that's a double recommendation! Hopefully it's the one I've been looking for. But if it isn't, I don't mind starting a great series! ;) Thank you!

[Diamondgemstones]

Mary wrote: "I know it's not Matched by Ally Condie, but that is a great book and series to read!"

Thanks for the rec! I've read Matched but haven't read the others in the series. Do they remain as strong in quality as the first one? I'm asking this because I've heard several people mention that they were more uneven than Matched.

[Diamondgemstones]

Grace wrote: "MATCHED by Ally Condie about a society that decides everything about everyone except if they want to marry (not who). And Cassia has a conflicting emotions because of something that happens at her ..."

I read Matched by Ally Condie and I know it's not Ender's Game either that I was looking for. But thank you for your time, research, and suggestions! I really appreciate it. :)

[Mary]

Diamondgemstones wrote: "Mary wrote: "I know it's not Matched by Ally Condie, but that is a great book and series to read!"

Thanks for the rec! I've read Matched but haven't read the others in the series. Do they remain a..."

It took me a couple attempts to actually get through the first book! But I did and wanted to read the second book. I actually liked the second book better than the first. I started the third book, but got bored with it, so I returned it to the library.