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Rising trends
Women in the UK are putting work and leisure before children: the number of childless women has doubled over 20 years. According to a stiudy published by The Guardian, only 36% of women think having children should come before work.
Women are having children later and later on in life. Because of contraceptive methods, having a child has become a real 'decision' that some women simply never choose to make - although many women do change their minds later on in life.
Worldwide trends
Let's take a look at the rest of the world.
-In Germany, women find it very difficult to find time for children because of work. A third of women have children after completing higher education (which is lengthy in Germany). Overall, one German woman in 5 doesn't have children, according to national demographic statistics.
-French women are also shunting motherhood. According to the figures, between 12 and 16% of French women born in 1980 will never have children, compared to 10% of those born in 1940.
-In Japan, where bringing up a child is extremely expensive, 56% of 30-year-old women are childless, whereas only 24% were childless in 1985.