Over half of American women without children have no desire to become mothers: study

November 21, 2025

The 2025 American Family Survey appears to show that more than 50% of American women under the age of 50, who don’t have children, say they have no desire to become mothers.

The Christian Post reports that the annual survey, undertaken by the Wheatley Institute and the Center for the Study of Elections and Democracy at Brigham Young University, and the Deseret News, took place between Aug. 6-18.

Researchers reported that the fertility rate in the U.S. dropped to an all-time low in 2024 to to less than 1.6 children per woman.

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics also shows that America’s general fertility rate — the number of births per 1,000 females ages 15–44 — declined by 22% between 2007–2024.

Researchers noted in the report “There is broad consensus among demographers and public health experts that the situation is concerning, posing long-term risks including labor shortages, strain on social safety nets, and economic slowdown. Among the general public, however, only a quarter of Americans say they believe the country is having too few babies. And a third of the population admits they don’t know whether there are too many, too few, or the right amount.”

According to the Christian Post, one of the most common reasons for which respondents choose not to have children is a lack of money.

Researchers say more than 70% of Americans describe the cost of raising children as unaffordable and say, “Put simply, Americans report that their worries about costs have the very practical effect of reducing the number of children they choose to have.”

Photo: top, Credit: Getty Images/Davin G. Photography