- Download PDF Copy
Reviewed
Michigan State UniversityApr 11 2025
Recent data from Pew Research Center suggests that Americans are rethinking whether they want to become parents. This could be part of a long-term trend, as a research team from Michigan State University found that the percentage of nonparents in the United States who never want children has doubled over the past 20 years.
We found that the percentage of nonparents who don't want any children rose from 14% in 2002 to 29% in 2023. During the same period, the percent of nonparents who plan to have children in the future fell from 79% to 59%."
Jennifer Watling Neal, Study Co-Author and Professor, Psychology Department, Michigan State University
The study –– published in the Journal of Marriage and Family –– categorized nonparents into several types, including "childfree" people who do not want children, "childless" people who wanted children but can't have them, and "not yet parents" who plan to have children in the future.
The researchers used data from the National Survey of Family Growth, which surveyed 80,000 adults across seven waves between 2002 and 2023. Because most research using these data focuses on women's biological fertility, Watling Neal explained that this study is one of the first to consider both men and women as well as desires for both biological and nonbiological children.
"We knew from our prior research that childfree adults were a large and growing group in Michigan," said Zachary Neal, MSU professor of psychology and co-author of the study. "These new results confirm this is part of a nationwide trend that has been unfolding for over 20 years."
Related Stories
- Call for urgent support as US funding cuts threaten HIV/AIDS programs
- Children with potential ASD show preference for predictable movements
- IL-6 emerges as early sepsis indicator in high risk groups
Different types of nonparents have different needs. One nonparent group whose needs are frequently discussed are childless adults who want children but have had difficulty conceiving and who may seek fertility treatments. However, Neal noted that "relatively few nonparents are childless, and the size of this group has been stable for many years."
In contrast, as the population of childfree adults continues to grow, it will be important to ensure their unique needs are met. As Watling Neal explained, "childfree adults have needs for long-term contraception and for retirement planning that doesn't assume having heirs, but medical and financial service providers often aren't equipped to meet these needs."
The research team will next explore trends in types of nonparents globally and the role that economics and politics may play.
Source:
Journal reference:
Neal, J. W. and Neal, Z. P.(2025).Tracking types of non-parents in the United States.Journal of Marriage and Family.doi.org/10.1111/jomf.13097
Posted in: Medical Research News | Healthcare News
Comments (0)
- Download PDF Copy
Suggested Reading
Congenital heart surgery in children remained safe during the COVID-19 pandemic
Understanding the natural history of SCN8A-related epilepsy disorders
New guideline takes a patient-centered approach to managing obesity in children
Children's faces may reveal hidden gender bias
Study: Over 3 million children died in 2022 due to drug-resistant infections
Tulane researchers develop portable device for rapid TB diagnosis
Cannabis extract can improve behavior of children and teens with autism spectrum disorder
Six early life factors found to influence obesity risk in South Asian children
Comments
The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of News Medical.
Post a new comment
Login
(Logout)
Post
Terms
While we only use edited and approved content for Azthena answers, it may on occasions provide incorrect responses. Please confirm any data provided with the related suppliers or authors. We do not provide medical advice, if you search for medical information you must always consult a medical professional before acting on any information provided.
Your questions, but not your email details will be shared with OpenAI and retained for 30 days in accordance with their privacy principles.
Please do not ask questions that use sensitive or confidential information.
Read the full .
