Choice, Freedom and Autonomy: Lived Experiences of Childfree Women Embracing Life Beyond Motherhood
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| Year of publication | 2025 |
| Type | Appeared in Conference without Proceedings |
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| Description | In an era of declining birth rates and a growing number of people choosing not to have children, understanding the experiences of childfree adults has become increasingly relevant. This study focuses on women who have consciously decided not to have children despite having no fertility issues. It explores the lived experiences of childfree women, focusing on their motivations, challenges, and ways of navigating societal expectations. A subset of participants chose sterilization as a permanent contraceptive solution, highlighting different approaches within the childfree community. In-depth interviews were conducted with childfree women from various age groups in the Czech Republic, analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. The analysis uncovered key themes exploring participants' motivations, and experiences in choosing to remain childfree. These included their reasons for opting out of parenthood, how it shaped their identities, the importance of maintaining control over their lives and bodies, and strategies to address fears of unintended pregnancy, including permanent solutions like sterilization. While some participants viewed sterilization as an empowering step toward achieving reproductive certainty, others preferred reversible contraceptive methods, reflecting varied approaches to securing their lifestyle choice. Participants highlighted the freedom gained through their decisions and described mixed social reaction, ranging from support to stigma. The findings also emphasized the importance of access to accurate and comprehensive information, which enabled participants to make informed decisions about their reproductive futures. The findings highlight the importance of fostering understanding and acceptance of diverse life paths, particularly for women choosing to remain childfree. It contributes to discussions around reproductive autonomy and challenges cultural norms that equate womanhood with motherhood. Future studies should examine larger, more diverse populations to explore cross-cultural dynamics and the evolving perceptions of childfree adults. This research was funded by MUNI/A/1673/2024, Factors of successful psychological and social functioning in a changing world (WELLBE). |
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