Childlessness in Later Life: What’s in a Name? Results From a Cross-Sectional Study Among Childless Older Adults

Hannelore Stegen, Sofie Van Regenmortel, Eva Dierckx and Liesbeth De Donder

SAGE Open, 2025, vol. 15, issue 3, 21582440251355041

Abstract: This study is a comprehensive portrayal of childlessness in later life, describing childless older adults’ specific characteristics related to childlessness, their personal and social characteristics, and well-being in comparison with older adults with children. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 543 adults (60+), 47.0% (255) of whom were childless. Reasons for childlessness include personal choice (35.3%), life events (24.3%), health problems (23.1%), and partner-related factors (21.2%). A total of 14.9% of childless older adults had received professional medical help in attempts to become pregnant; 5.5% of childless older adults had undergone abortions; 37.3% indicated that their childlessness was undesired; and for 32.2%, it was desired. In comparison to older adults with children, childless older adults reported significantly lower life satisfaction ( p    .05).

Keywords: childlessness; older adults; reasons for childlessness; well-being; loneliness; parents (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:sagope:v:15:y:2025:i:3:p:21582440251355041

DOI: 10.1177/21582440251355041

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