Unpacking the Silent Struggles: How Childlessness Impacts Women's Self-Worth and Social Standing

A groundbreaking new study from the University of Copenhagen and the Danish Centre for Social Science Research (VIVE) is shedding crucial light on a often-overlooked aspect of women's lives: childlessness. The research reveals that women who are childless, especially those who involuntarily remain childless, frequently experience lower self-esteem and a diminished sense of social standing compared to mothers or women who have chosen not to have children.

This compelling insight challenges deeply ingrained societal norms and highlights the significant emotional and social toll that can accompany a life without children.

Published in the European Journal of Public Health, the study draws upon a rich dataset from a survey of 5,000 Danish women aged 25-45, conducted between 2017 and 2020.

By meticulously comparing various groups – mothers, women childless by choice, and women childless due to circumstances – the researchers were able to pinpoint distinct differences in their well-being and social perceptions.

The findings are stark: women who are childless not by choice report significantly lower levels of self-esteem.

Furthermore, childless women across the board, regardless of their reasons, often express feeling less acknowledged and recognized by their social circles, including friends, family, and colleagues. This pervasive sense of not being fully seen or valued underscores the powerful societal expectation that women will, and should, become mothers.

According to Andrea von Seelen, one of the lead authors from the University of Copenhagen's Department of Public Health, “There is a very strong social norm that women should have children.

This places a great deal of social pressure on childless women who may feel that they do not quite measure up. While previous studies have addressed the self-esteem of childless women, ours is the first to examine how their social standing is affected depending on the reasons for their childlessness.”

Perhaps one of the most poignant revelations of the study concerns highly educated women.

For this group, the gap in self-esteem between those who are mothers and those who are childless due to circumstances is even wider. Highly educated women often prioritize their careers and education, leading them to postpone childbearing. However, this delay can bring them face-to-face with biological limitations or the challenge of finding a suitable partner, leaving them involuntarily childless and facing a unique blend of societal and personal disappointment.

Rikke Lund, another key researcher from the University of Copenhagen, emphasizes the broader implications: “Society needs to acknowledge that women’s lives can be valuable and meaningful regardless of whether they have children.

Women should not be reduced to their reproductive role.” This sentiment points to a crucial need for a more inclusive societal narrative that celebrates diverse life paths for women, free from the often-unspoken judgment associated with childlessness.

The study's robust methodology, which controlled for factors like age, income, relationship status, and health, reinforces the validity of its conclusions.

It provides compelling evidence that the struggle faced by many childless women is not merely a personal one but is deeply intertwined with societal structures and expectations. As we move forward, these findings serve as a powerful call to action, urging a re-evaluation of how we perceive and support all women, irrespective of their maternal status.