The American Family: Postponing Parenthood

Stat: 86. The percentage of women ages 40-44 who are mothers, compared with 80 percent in 2006, according to a Pew Research Center analysis.

Story:  American women are waiting longer to have children—but are more likely to have kids than they were a decade ago. Also, 1 in 4 parents living with a child is not married. In this episode, a Pew researcher explains the data behind this change in the American family, and we meet two moms who share why they waited.

Related resources:

• They’re Waiting Longer, but U.S. Women Today More Likely to Have Children Than a Decade Ago
• The Changing Profile of Unmarried Parents
• Middle children have become rarer, but a growing share of Americans now say three or more kids are ‘ideal’
• 7 Facts About U.S. Moms
• More Moms