5.7 Million More U.S. Women Than Expected Were Childless In 2024

In 2024, there were 5.7 million more childless women of prime child-bearing age than would have been expected given fertility patterns prior to the Great Recession, up from 2.1 million in 2016 and 4.7 million in 2022, according to a recent report by Carsey Research. Had fertility patterns from just before the Great Recession continued, 4.4 million (25%) more women aged 20–39 would have had at least two children in 2024, and 1.3 million (15%) more women would have had a single child.

The analysis is based on data from the U.S . . .