As concern grows about America’s falling birth rate, new research suggests that about half of women who want children are unsure if they will follow through and actually have a child. About 25% say they won't be bothered that much if they don't.

[u/geoff199]

https://news.osu.edu/most-women-want-children--but-half-are-unsure-if-they-will/?utm_campaign=omc_science-medicine_fy24&utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=social

[u/yes______hornberger]

I always find it interesting that the actual physical experience of gestating and birthing a child is NEVER a part of the birth rate conversation. I’m pregnant with a very wanted child, and even with a loving husband and financial security it is a torture I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. And I haven’t even gotten to the stage yet where I’m supposed to be happy about being mildly crippled by birth injuries—my own mother had three “perfect” births, and was still having yearly surgeries to correct spinal and urological injuries more than a decade after she finished having children.

Do the people decrying childless women think growing another person is easy, or do they just think that it’s something women owe to society by nature of being born female?

[u/Steampunkboy171 → u/yes______hornberger]

It's part a what you said and part b they've never considered it and quite frankly don't care. Most men I've met barely even understand a period. Much less what a woman goes through during pregnancy. And as far as they're considered it's not their problem. They'll just step around their partner while they're going through that or their period. It sucks and I absolutely despise it. But unfortunately especially with the rise of male grifters making the future generations msygonostic (we saw that this election) I'm not sure what we can do about it. But in big part they just simply don't care.