Infertility and Unrealized Ideal Family Size

Ester Lazzari and Eva Beaujouan

Population and Development Review, 2026, vol. 52, issue 1, 70-93

Abstract: Research indicates that people often end their childbearing years with fewer children than they had expected in young adulthood. However, our understanding of the role of infertility in explaining this discrepancy remains limited. Using data from 10 low‐fertility countries included in the second round of the Generations and Gender Survey, this study examines the correspondence between ideal and actual family size among men and women, as well as the influence of infertility and socioeconomic factors on whether they achieved the number of children they considered ideal for themselves. The results show that up to half of men and women end their reproductive years wishing they had more children. Having experienced infertility stands out as a key predictor of this gap, increasing the likelihood of underachieving one's ideal family size by 17 percent and 26 percent among childless men and women, and by 12 percent and 19 percent among those with one child.

Date: 2026
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