Study: Recessions can postpone motherhood forever

Associated Press ^ | Sep 29, 2014 3:39 PM EDT | Malcolm Ritter

[Olog-hai]

When the economy tanks, women have fewer babies. But what happens in the following years, when conditions improve?

A massive new study suggests that for some U.S. women, living through a recession can mean they will never have children.

In fact, the authors project that among women who were in their early 20s in 2008—early in the so-called “Great Recession”—about 151,000 will forgo having any children as a result, at least by age 40. …

[GeronL]

MoneyPause

[CorporateStepsister]

I think women need to start adjusting their idea of an ideal ‘lifestyle’ situation that to them would be a right time to have a child. No more waiting until they’re ‘fulfilled’ and no more messing around with dozens of men. Men are getting pickier and don’t want to deal with a woman who has way too much baggage.

[DakotaGator]

Your; "Men are getting pickier and don’t want to deal with a woman who has way too much baggage."

Well put!

[BJ1]

If by pickier you mean men do want a man everyone else has had a turn with, I’d agree with that. I never understood the sex appeal of sluts. The idea of touching a woman that had a ton of other men first is kinda gross to me.

[Nepeta]

People who can only find work as "temps" --and that includes some highly skilled work requiring technical degrees, because employers do not want to hire such people--they do not do anything involving major money. Temps are NOT society's losers.

They do not buy new cars. They do not buy houses. They do not marry and form families.

So, before trashing women as sluts, etc., consider that some of these non-childbearing women are actually avoiding putting any potential child at risk in poor economic times. They are behaving responsibly.

[silverleaf]

I wouldn’t say women are getting pickier, but I’d say a lot more of them think they don’t need a man to have children

[Lorianne]

Shouldn’t that be parents postpone parenthood?

Women are not making these decisions on their own. The fathers who would also have to help support the children are part of the decision.

[Bookwoman]

My kids are postponing having children until they are certain they are able to support them. My son and his wife are barely making enough money for him and his wife to pay their bills. My daughter and her husband are making ends meet, but his job is continually on the chopping block and hers is low paying. They all live modestly. They all would love to have children, but do not wish to be dependent on society to do so. I raised them to be responsible.

[EternalVigilance]

Children ARE riches, far more than money could ever be.