Not all people who are childless feel regret. In fact, there is no evidence to suggest that people without children are worse off than parents, and some indicate that women without children are less depressed, more satisfied and have lower levels of stress, especially compared to those with young children.
A study from Princeton University and Stony Brook University found that parents and nonparents have similar levels of life satisfaction, but parents experienced both more daily joy and more daily stress than nonparents. “Life without children is simply much more stable,” Glass says.
The decision to have children is personal, and should not be taken lightly. So many people feel like they have to have kids because “it's just what you do.” There is always the chance that you will regret not having children. Having children, just in case, is a lot of work and responsibility.
Having a child is an impactful life event. In addition to the schedule changes and expenses associated with raising a child, there is also a woman's own health to consider. Research shows that not having kids can raise the risk of certain health issues, like breast cancer.
It's OK if you don't want to be a parent, and there's nothing wrong with you if that's the case. It's also OK to not know yet whether you want to have kids. One thing's for sure though: Feeling pressured and obsessing over what everyone else wants isn't going to help you make your decision.
Proponents of childfreedom posit that choosing not to have children is no more or less selfish than choosing to have children. Choosing to have children may be the more selfish choice, especially when poor parenting risks creating many long term problems for both the children themselves and society at large.
The Good News
Not having children also comes with significant positive health benefits. A 116-year study by the American Journal of Human Biology found the following trends. Longer lifespan. Women with children lost an incredible 95 weeks of life per child carried.
How Many Older Adults Are Childless? Of the 92.2 million adults ages 55 and older in 2018, 15.2 million (16.5%) are childless, defined here as having no biological children. Moreover, childlessness is more common among the younger cohort of older adults.
As of 2020, a little less than half of all women in the U.S. were childless. About 68.1 percent of women without children did not have a high school degree, which is in line with the largest percentage of childless women being between the ages of 15 and 19.
Despite the societal pressure some feel, studies show that 27% of adults in the United States choose not to have children. In addition, the birth rate in the United States is the lowest in 35 years. It can be normal for men, women, and people of any gender to choose to remain without children.
Lacking the urge to have children does not indicate a flaw. It's completely normal that some people, both men and women, won't desire children in their lifetime, Ambardar says.
The idea of bringing another human into the world and the joy of seeing that person go through life is another powerful reason why couples want to have a child. Parents want to see their child grow up and become a productive member of society.
By gender, 56.2 percent of married men said they were “very happy,” compared with only 39.4 percent of unmarried men who said so. Among women, the figure dropped to 44.9 percent and 35.4 percent respectively.
Want to be a happier parent? Grow your family to at least four children! According to a study out of Australia's Edith Cowan University, parents with the most life satisfaction (which means those who are the happiest) are those that have four or more children. Dr.
Among 118 places with comparable data, only six have rates of childlessness higher than the U.S. rate of 19%. Singapore tops the list, with a childless rate of 23%, followed by Austria, the U.K., Finland, Bahrain, and Canada.
Women without children have also been found to have an increased risk of breast cancer, and increased mortality from uterine, ovarian and cervical cancer when compared to women with children. Moreover, the fertility declines with the advanced age at first childbearing.
A woman's peak reproductive years are between the late teens and late 20s. By age 30, fertility (the ability to get pregnant) starts to decline. This decline happens faster once you reach your mid-30s. By 45, fertility has declined so much that getting pregnant naturally is unlikely.
Childless men and women have an overall higher mortality than adults with children, meaning that they die earlier, recent studies show.
Without the responsibilities of raising children, individuals have the freedom to pursue their passions, hobbies, and travel without the constraints of parenthood. This allows for greater flexibility in lifestyle choices and the ability to focus on personal growth.
Best biological times to have a baby
Fertility begins in adolescence when a teenager enters puberty, and then steadily increases for several years. Typically, the 20s mark a time of high fertility for both males and females.
"Women are most fertile and have the best chance of getting pregnant in their 20s," Dr. Bergen says. "At age 25, the odds of conceiving after three months of trying are about 20%. Fertility gradually begins to decline at age 32, and after 35 that decline speeds up.
For most women, it's best to wait at least 18 months between giving birth and getting pregnant again. This means your baby will be at least 1½ years old before you get pregnant with another baby. This much time gives your body time to fully recover from your last pregnancy before it's ready for your next pregnancy.