Unrealized Fertility over the Life Course

Sara Yeatman , University of Colorado Denver
Tom Anderson, The Langston Company

Unrealized fertility has gained growing attention within demography amid persistent low fertility and the recognition that people are ending their reproductive lives with fewer children than desired. Yet, the implications of unrealized fertility—as a reflection of unmet family-building aspirations—can affect people throughout the reproductive life course, not only at its end. Using novel pilot data from a U.S.-based sample of 2,700 individuals aged 18-69, this paper examines how experiences of unrealized fertility vary across age groups, as well as how its perceived causes and consequences differ by life stage. We operationalize unrealized fertility using a direct question about whether respondents have had fewer children than they desire at their current age. Preliminary findings indicate that at least 20 percent of both men and women report unrealized fertility across the age range, with the highest prevalence among those in their peak reproductive years (ages 25-44). By their late 40s and early 50s, men and women respectively are less likely to report having fewer children than desired, possibly reflecting ex post rationalization or having contentedly adjusted to their achieved family size. The final paper will further explore age, gender and parental status differences in reported reasons for unrealized fertility and will distinguish between experiences of unrealized fertility that respondents describe as deeply impactful and those with minimal personal significance.

See extended abstract

 Presented in Session 54. Flash Session Fertility, Values and Life Goals