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Childlessness as Choice

The effort to control reproduction is as old as human history, yet it was not until the late 20th century that a sexually active heterosexual person had the ability to choose childlessness. Worldwide, the number of people who are childless by choice is on the rise. Women and men offer both similar and different reasons for their choice to remain childless. Found among people of all races and socioeconomic statuses, people who are childless by choice report that they are satisfied with their lives; nonetheless, others often attribute negative stereotypes to this group. People who are childless by choice have founded organizations to advocate for their interests and to offer opportunities for social networking. Today, both scholars and activists continue to debate ways to promote equality between parents and people who are childless by choice.

Role of Contraception

Childlessness as choice was made possible through the advent and wider accessibility of reliable contraceptives, and in some countries, the availability of legal abortion. That women and men have embraced this newfound ability is evidenced by population trends. Worldwide, the average fertility rate has declined from 2.8 children per woman in 2000 to 2.09 children per woman in 2007. In part, this decline reflects some people's choice to have fewer children; however, it also reflects a growing number of people who are choosing to remain childless. According to the U.S. Census, in 2006, 20 percent of women age 40 to 44 were childless; this is twice the number of childless women 30 years prior. In Italy, 15 percent of women in their 40s have not borne children; in Great Britain, 20 percent of women born in 1959 are without child; and in Germany, the proportion of childless women is 30 percent.

The reasons people provide for remaining childless are complex and varied. Some childless people are driven by lifestyle concerns, telling researchers that remaining childless has provided the time, energy, and financial freedom they need to pursue both personal and professional interests. Other people report that their decision reflects a lack of maternal or paternal instinct. Men are more likely than women to point to financial issues when they explain their choice to remain childless. Women, on the other hand, are more likely to offer altruistic reasons for not having children, expressing concerns about overpopulation and environmental stress.

Career Goal Considerations

Also more so than men, childless women are more likely to believe that becoming a parent will conflict with career goals. Employment numbers seem to support their beliefs. In corporate America, 49 percent of high-achieving women are childless; this compares with 19 percent of their male peers. Similarly, 43 percent of academic women do not have children; this compares with a female childlessness rate of about 18 percent in the general population. Some of these women report that their childlessness stems from their belief that they could not fulfill both their professional responsibilities and the responsibilities associated with motherhood. This grows out of two contradictory cultural trends. Over the past 40 years professional opportunities for women, and especially for economically and socially privileged women, have increased significantly. However, regardless of socioeconomic status, women continue to assume primary responsibility for caretaking and household work.

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