Childless at age 30

Anneli Miettinen, The Population Research Institute, Helsinki
Pirjo Paajanen, The Population Research Institute, Helsinki

Since the mid-1970s, fertility decline in Finland has levelled off and period TFR has stabilized around 1.7-1.8. However, age at first birth has increased constantly, from about 23 in 1970 to over 27 in 2000. Later motherhood has become socially more acceptable, and an increasing number of women are postponing parenthood past their 30th birthday. In more recent cohorts, only about a half of 30-year-old women are mothers, compared to 80 percent in cohorts born in 1950s. To understand childbearing of women aged 30+, we need to look at what has changed in the group who remains childless beyond the average age at first birth. This study uses a sample of a Finnish register based data set ‘PALAPELI’. We focus on female cohorts born in 1950-1970, and look at the composition of those still childless/already parents at age 30. Particularly, we look at the differences in educational level and partnership behaviour.