Childlessness Among Older Women in the United States: Trends and Profiles

Abstract

In the last 2 decades, the United States has seen an increase in childlessness and first births at older ages. Using the National Survey of Family Growth, we focus on women aged 35 – 44 who are voluntarily childless (expect no children and are fecund or contraceptively sterile). We compare these women to those who are involuntarily childless (fecundity impaired) and to those who are temporarily childless (expect children). Voluntary childlessness grew from 1982 (5%) to 1988 (8%), was stable up to 1995 (9%), and fell slightly in 2002 (7%). Voluntarily childless women have the highest income, prior work experience, and lowest religiosity compared to other women. This has been true since 1982, the earliest time point examined.

“It’s the Choices You Make That Get You There”: Decision-Making Pathways of Childfree Women

“…Rather than a simplistic negation of motherhood, the decision to be childfree results from many intricately woven factors. Most research has focused on childfree women who are white, married, college educated, and upper-middle class, with little religious affiliation, and who hold nontraditional gender beliefs (Abma & Martinez, 2006;Bartlett, 1994;Heaton, Cardell, & Holland, 1999;Kelly, 2009;McAllister & Clarke, 1998;McEvoy et al, 1984;Somers, 1993). Few studies explore the experiences of women of color, unmarried women, or lower-income women (Clark, 2012).…”

Childlessness in the United States

“…For example, data from the 2002 round show that among women aged 35-44, 69 % of the voluntarily childless had some college or higher education, compared to 17 % among all women of that age; 76 % of the voluntarily childless were working full-time, compared to 51 % among all women; 79 % were non-Hispanic white, compared to 71 % among all women; and 35 % never attended religious services, compared to 17 % among all women (Abma and Martinez 2006). Among the women aged 35-44, the voluntarily childless also differed from the temporarily and involuntarily childless in terms of economic characteristics.…”

“…They had the highest individual and family incomes, the most extensive past work experience, and were the most likely to be employed in professional and managerial occupations. For example, according to the results of the 1995 round, 57 % of the voluntarily childless had individual annual earnings of over US$25,000, compared to 41 % of the temporarily childless and 36 % of the involuntarily childless; and 84 % had worked more than 15 years, compared with 72 % of the temporarily childless and 77 % of the involuntarily childless (Abma and Martinez 2006).…”

“…There is ample evidence from several rounds of the NSFG that childless women, and particularly the voluntarily childless, are disproportionately white, are employed full-time, and have a higher education; and are less likely to be currently or formerly married and are less religious (Abma and Martinez 2006). For example, data from the 2002 round show that among women aged 35-44, 69 % of the voluntarily childless had some college or higher education, compared to 17 % among all women of that age; 76 % of the voluntarily childless were working full-time, compared to 51 % among all women; 79 % were non-Hispanic white, compared to 71 % among all women; and 35 % never attended religious services, compared to 17 % among all women (Abma and Martinez 2006).…”

“…The NSFG was conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) in 1973(NCHS) in , 1976(NCHS) in , 1982(NCHS) in , 1988(NCHS) in , 1995(NCHS) in , and 2002. The most recent NSFG covered the years 2006-2010(Martinez et al 2012. In these surveys childless women are comprised of three categories defined as follows (Abma and Martinez 2006;Martinez et al 2012):…”