Persistence and change in decisions to remain childless

Numerous researchers have examined the incidence, correlates, and predictor s of childlessness. Few however have examined changes in intended childless ness because the longitudinal data required to track these changes are rare . We utilize the National Survey of Families and Households to examine tren ds in intentions to remain childless, We include both demographic and ideat ional variables in the analysis, and we focus on respondents between the ag es of 19 and 39 years who had not had children at the beginning of the stud y, The largest group wants children bur still postpone childbearing. The ne xt largest group carries out their intention to have children. The third la rgest group switches from wanting children to not wanting children. Some ar e consistently childless in both surveys. Finally, a relatively small group did not intend to have a child in the first survey but subsequently had a child Marital status is the most salient predictor for having children bur cohabitors also are more likely to have children than are single noncohabit ors.