A young woman sits alone. (JulPo / Getty Images)
By Michael Austin November 30, 2025 at 4:00pm
More than half of American women under the age of 50 who do not yet have children said in a recent survey that they do not intend to become mothers.
The results of this year’s American Family Survey, conducted between Aug. 6 and Aug. 18, joins several other recent polls in showing concerningly low affinity from American women toward raising children.
When asked if they possess a “desire to have children,” only 40 percent of women under 50 said “definitely” or “probably.”
That was substantially lower than the 50 percent of men who want children.
Another 44 percent of women said they “probably” or “definitely” do not want children, which exceeded the 33 percent of men who said the same.
When asked whether there are “too many” or “too few” babies being born in the United States, men were much more likely than women to say “too few.”
Some 35 percent of men believe that too few babies are born today, while only 18 percent of women agreed.
The American Family Survey analysis nevertheless noted that the fertility rate in the United States reached a record low of 1.6 live births last year, which is well below the replacement rate of 2.1 live births.
“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,” the analysis said.
The survey results come as other recent polls show fewer women in the United States valuing marriage, family, and children.
Earlier this month, a survey from Pew Research found that the typical 12th-grade girl is less likely to want to be married one day than the typical 12th-grade boy.
In 1993, 76 percent of boys said they are “most likely to choose to get married in the long run,” and by 2023, the figure was relatively unchanged at 74 percent.
For girls, however, the number declined drastically from 83 percent in 1993 to 61 percent in 2023, meaning that young females have driven almost the entire negative generational shift in attitudes toward marriage.
“The share of boys saying this is virtually unchanged over the 30-year period. But the share among girls dropped by 22 percentage points,” Pew Research summarized.
“There are no statistically significant gender gaps on the other questions.”
Just a few months earlier, a poll from NBC News found that women and men across the political spectrum are deeply divided in terms of their life aspirations.
About 34 percent of men who voted for President Donald Trump said that “having children” is an important part of their “personal definition of success.”
Just 6 percent of women who voted for Vice President Kamala Harris said the same.
Michael wrote for several entertainment news outlets before joining The Western Journal in 2020. He now serves as Managing Editor, which involves managing the editorial team and operations; guiding the editorial direction of The Western Journal; and writing, editing, curating and assigning stories as needed.
Birthplace
Ames, Iowa
Nationality
American
Education
Iowa State University
Topics of Expertise
Cultural Politics, Entertainment News, Christian-Conservatism
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