Correlates of voluntary childlessness in a select population

In order to determine a sociological profile of voluntarily childless couples, 72 couples who had applied to the Association for Voluntary Sterilization for help in obtaining surgical sterilizations were surveyed. No pretense is made that this sample is representative of all childless couples, but this study provides the first step of such research. The average couple in this group was living in a large metropolitan area, about 30 years old, and had been married about 5 years. They tended to be of high socioeconomic status and claimed no religious affiliation. Most had been contracepting for several years, usually with the pill, and were not likely to have had a miscarriage or abortion. Population concerns and health considerations were found to be the 2 most mentioned reasons for these couples' desired childlessness. Other reasons included career commitments, lifestyle, or economic desires. Less common motivations for childlessness included dislike of children and fear of pregnancy. Before significant research on voluntary childlessness can be conducted, some accurate means of selecting a representative sample must be developed.