This was a phenomenological investigation undertaken to understand the experience of waning fertility. Twenty-five women were interviewed. They ranged in age from 40 to 50 years and represented diverse socioeconomic, educational, ethnic, and fertility backgrounds. A synthesis of the interviews lead to calling the central process of the study Looking Forward, Looking Back. These words were chosen because of the temporal references that pervaded the interviews. Although our initial question "Do you think you are still fertile?" positioned the women in the present, they quickly answered with "Yes, but...." Then, the participants went on to extend their answers by sharing both their past experiences regarding their fertility and also their future plans. These extended answers gave us the remaining main themes of the study: Reflecting on Childbearing Years, Doing a Midlife Review, and Anticipating Getting Older.
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