Cross-national trends in childlessness

Abstract

This paper is intended to provide a comparative and historical setting for the discussion of childlessness and its implications in later life. The aim, is to compare and explain trends through time in the proportions childless in Western Europe and in some other developed countries, especially the United States and Australia. The experiences of birth cohorts of women born between 1900 and 1940 are the main focus. The paper looks first at trends through time in the total proportions childless, then examines explanations of trends, including married versus unmarried childlessness and voluntary and involuntary causes.