"Childfree": The infertility of self -selected ｜ 5 reasons for them to choose not to children

In traditional culture, "family" seems to be equivalent to having children, but in this era, it may not be the case. Men and women who have reached "childbearing age" in the traditional sense have not been more and more people who have children who have children in their life plans.

This trend has been reflected in the world: Since 2007, the fertility rate in the United States has reached the lowest value of history, a 10%decrease from 1909 (BAER, 2016). According to data from the National Growth Survey (NSFG) in the United States from 2006 to 2010, 15%of women and 24%of men did not have children at the age of 40. In Japan and Germany, one-third of women 40 have never given birth to Essence

Some of these people who do not want their children are "postponers". TAs think they may consider giving birth to children one day, but they do not have a clear plan, but have been in the delay of this decision. Some people hold a clearer attitude.

From the 1990s to the present, the word "Childfree" in English has replaced the word "childless" in some specific context. Choose is more positive in terms of the color of words. It refers to the Childless By Choice instead of being restricted by objective conditions, such as infertility. In the United States, 44%of unprecedented women 40 to 44 have made such a choice (Furnham, 2015).

What is "self -selection of fertility"?

In early studies, most of the research objects for women as children were mostly. From the end of the 20th century to the 21st century, men also began to be included in the scope of research.

BlackStone (2016) analysis believes that the process of choosing a modern person who is infertile children has the following two characteristics:

1. Choosing to give birth is no longer a temporary idea, but a decision made after careful consideration.

2. This decision was formed within a long time, not affected by an isolated event.

According to Veevers (1973), about one -third of the choice of infertile adults made this decision independently in the early days of life. Since childhood, the TAs have been affected by the decision -making of this issue. Many people made this decision in the process of observing others (brothers and sisters, friends) to become parents, and continued to test and adhere to this conclusion in the following years.

I have a German friend who has been over 50 years old. When I watched other classmates in the first grade of elementary school, I felt "I don't want children in the future." He continued this conclusion in his later life.

Some people have made a decision with a serious and continuous discussion with their partners (Blackstone, 2016).

What kind of people choose not to have children?

Studies show that as a whole, the higher the level of women's education, the lower the proportion of children's children; and the field of education is also related to fertility behavior. Those who read education and health care majors have higher fertility rates; and those who study art and humanities are lower; the relationship between other majors and fertility behaviors is not significant (ABMA & Martinez (2006).

女性的收入和生活水平也与生育率成反比，选择不生育的女性，与“较高的收入”，“在工作中从事管理岗位或专业技术岗位”，“居住在大城市”有相关性（ Abma & Martinez, 2006).

Kanazawa (2014) found that the height of IQ is related to fertility choices when controlling other variables. In women's samples, the average IQ of women who want to become a mother is 99.94; the average IQ of women who want to choose infertile is 105.5. Men's differences are not so significant.

In addition, the only child is more likely to choose infertility than those with siblings (1987).

In addition, some personality traits have also been proven to be related to the willingness of having children, such as introverted, independence, sensitivity, anxiety, perfectionism, lack of patience, etc. (Park, 2005).

What are people who choose not to have children?

The choice of infertility will be affected by some society and objective factors, especially for delayers. For example, the improvement of science and technology and the development of reproductive technology have given women more fertility choices, and the proportion of women who choose frozen eggs have been increasing.

However, more often, choosing infertility will also be affected by subjective reasons. Houseknecht (1987) statistics found that the first few of them are the following reasons:

1. Do not want to lose your personal freedom: 79%

2. Want to get higher marriage satisfaction: 62%

3. Career consideration and economic benefits: 55%

4. The influence of early social experience, doubt about the ability of my parents: 31%

5. Fear of fertility and recovery, physiological pain: 24%

Native

Below we simply analyze the most important subjective reasons:

1. Do not want to lose freedom Houseknecht found that many people think that having children will challenge the sense of control of life for TAs (Bleidorn, 2016).

For those who do not want to lose freedom and choose to fertility, Park (2005) summarizes it to TAs from being unwilling to get rid of the "adult -centered" lifestyle. Many people think that fertility means to enter a "child -centered" lifestyle, and the TAs need to transfer from their own interests and goals to more people to consider children's interests and growth, such as, for example,, for example,, for example,, for example,, for example, TAs may need to change some hobbies and habits (such as smoking, drinking), and changing the choice of TV shows and Internet environment, creating a friendly environment for children.

2. For more quality intimate relationships

Although in traditional concepts, giving birth to children at a certain age will bring higher life satisfaction, but the fact is that one of the main reasons for many people to choose infertility is to ensure the quality of marriage and intimacy. Worried that having children will reduce the satisfaction of intimacy. Women often mention this than men (duxbury et al., 2005).

3. Affected by the experience of others and fear of being a parent,

Or think you lack the ability to be parents

Some people make decisions of not children because of their parents' processes and education models of others. This includes observation of your parents' education, the explanation of his native family, and the observation of friends or other parents. In this regard, women are more likely to be affected than men, and they are fear and anxiety about fertility (Park, 2005).

In the influence of their native families, some people will have unhealthy ways of raising their parents (such as ignoring, abuse, control, etc.), and will cause resistance to parents. Children have the same damage.

But it is interesting that some people have a very happy life and have been caring for many parents. However, in the process of observing their parents, TAs have seen their parents experience a lot of difficulties in order to raise themselves, because they are afraid that they will bear these responsibilities. Breaking these obstacles and feeling huge pressure (Park, 2005).

4. Lack of interest in children,

I don't like the feeling of having children around

There are also some people who have general "dislike" or "lack of interest" for children. These people's tolerance for younger children is higher than new children (Park, 2005).

5. Worried about the development of career and personal achievements

There is also an obvious reason: worrying that children will affect their career development and the realization of personal value. 74%of women mentioned this in the interview; only 29%mentioned this in the research of men as the research object. Researchers believe that the reason may be that the fertility will directly lead to the interruption of women's work, and women will be regarded as the main adoption of children.

Is there a child's experience?

Multiple studies have proved that becoming a parent's incident will bring many benefits. For example, physiological, fertility can make people secrete the oxytocin called "hormonal". This hormone It will produce. Oxytocin can reduce anxiety and fear, make people feel calm and satisfied, and enhance trust. Moreover, not only in women, the researchers also found that men will also increase oxytocin in 6 months after their birth.

In addition, the birth of children can also enhance the sense of life, make us more beneficial to others, and feel more attachment, and feel that life becomes more directional and meaningful (Belsky, 1990).

However, most of the previous research did not change the self -esteem of new parents. The new research in 2016 proves that many people's concerns make sense: whether it is for men or women, it will lead to the continuous decrease in the level of self -esteem of TA for parents, and the impact on women is particularly significant.

FINKENAUER (2016) tracked the 187 newly -married couple for 5 years, analyzing the change of self -esteem in the process of men and women in the process of becoming 5 years before and after becoming a parent. He found that the level of self -esteem of mother will rise 2 years before the child is born, the year of birth has fallen sharply, and then continued to decline in the next three years. The level of their father's self -esteem will also rise slowly before the child is born. Although it will not decline sharply at the year of birth, it will continue to decline in the next three years. In the end, the self -esteem of father and mother was less than 5 years ago.

In other words, this study believes that having children does not make women feel that they become more valuable because they become mothers, but they will reduce self -evaluation. Perhaps it is because of objectively, some children's lives have made more challenges to the TAs, including economic challenges. And when dealing with these challenges, it is easy to make people feel that they are not good enough -not good parents.

To be sure, if you want to have children, it is best to take this matter as a serious decision to determine that you are ready. Studies have shown that children who are born (such as accidental pregnancy) are even worse afterwards; and the more anxiety and fear of fertility, the greater the possibility of postpartum depression (Belsky, 1990). (You must consider clearly before giving birth? Click here to see it)

Do you want a child? It is indeed an individual's own choice. We don't want any choice to be criticized by others. But at the same time, we don't want people to conclude too quickly on this issue. The infertility of self -selection is an extremely cautious choice. Because we have always enjoyed a living life before fertility, we will have a direct experience in the benefits of this life. And the life after childbirth will also have a good side and bad side. We will show more risks and disgusting tendencies for what we have experienced -therefore, it is more difficult for us Essence

We believe that a person can get a lot of things that may be different but equally rich in the life of a child or a child. But the premise is that you have really thought about it.

So, the interaction is here today, you are reading this article:

Do you have children? What kind of experience did the child bring you?

If not yet, do you want children in the future? Why?

Leave us a message ~

References:

Adrian furnham. (2015) .choosing to bechild-free.pasychology today.

Abma, J. C., & Martinez, G. M. (2006) .Childlessness among Older Women in the United States: Trends andPROFILES.Journal of Marriage and Family, 68 (4), 1045-1056.

Blackstone, A., & Stewart, M. D. (2016).

Belsky, J., & Rovine, M. (1990). Pattern of Marital Change Across the Transition Toparenthood: Pregnancy to Three Years Postpartum.Jourige and the Family, 5-19.

Bleidorn, W., Buyukcan-Tetik, A., Schwaba, T., van Scheppingen, M. A., Denissen,J. J., & Finkenauer, C. (2016). Stability andchange in self-esteem during the transition to parenthood.Social Psychological and Personality science, 1948550616646428.

Drake Baer. (2016) .America's Baby-MAKINGRATE is the lowEver.Science of us.

Duxbury, L., Medhill, J., & Lyons, S. (2005) .ChildFree by Choice: A Study of Childfree Women in North America — Summary Report.ottawa: Center for Research and Education on WOMEND WEMEND WEMEND WEMEND WEMEND WEMEND WEMEND.

Houseknecht, S. K. (1987). VoluntaryChildlessness.in handbook of marriage and the family (PP. 369-395) .springer us.

Park, k. (2005). Choosing Childlessness: Weber's TyPology of Action and Motives of the Voluntarily Childless.sociology inquiry, 75 (3), 372-402.

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