Why Are More Women Saying No To Having Kids?

Explore the historical and contemporary factors behind declining fertility rates in the United States through this 32-minute lecture featuring University of Chicago Assistant Instructional Professor Peggy O'Donnell Heffington. Examine how the phenomenon of non-motherhood extends far beyond modern feminism, tracing centuries of women's deliberate choices about childbearing and motherhood. Discover the documented history of women who have chosen to limit births or forgo motherhood entirely, as presented in Heffington's book "Without Children: The Long History of Not Being a Mother." Analyze the modern structural barriers contributing to women's decisions to remain childless, including inadequate workplace support, absence of national paid maternity leave policies, and economic constraints that make child-rearing unaffordable. Consider the implications of current demographic trends and learn why American millennials may become the largest childless generation in recorded history, as the 2023 U.S. fertility rate reached its lowest point ever.