Spanish women are delaying motherhood: the reasons behind this decision

The idea that younger generations of women no longer want to have children does not fit with the results of the latest fertility barometer from the IVI Institute.

According to the study, 48% of Spanish women surveyed are already mothers and another 32% want to be. By contrast, 12% say they do not want children and 8% have not yet considered it.

The problem, therefore, does not seem to be just about the desire to start a family, but about the difficulties in finding the right time.

And that moment comes much later than expected: women who delay motherhood go from a desired age of 27 to an average of 33.

Why is motherhood being postponed so much in Spain?

The decision to have children is shaped by a combination of personal and economic circumstances.

Among the main reasons identified by the study are lack of stability in a relationship, difficulties in finding a stable partner, the feeling of not having reached enough personal maturity, and economic insecurity.

Access to suitable housing also plays an important role.

In many cases, when women reach the age at which they initially thought they would have children, their personal circumstances still do not seem right for taking on motherhood.

The result is a postponement that can last for several years.

Almost half of Spanish women delay motherhood

This phenomenon is not unique to Spain, but the data show that it is particularly pronounced here.

According to the barometer, 47% of Spanish women delay motherhood compared to their initial plans, versus 36% across all countries analysed.

In Italy, the percentage reaches 46%, with an average delay of seven years. In Portugal and Sweden, it stands at 41%.

The study is based on more than 24,000 international interviews, of which 3,021 are from Spain.

The results show that difficulties in balancing family and professional life, economic circumstances, and personal stability influence reproductive decisions among women in different countries.

More and more women are having children after the age of 35

One consequence of delaying motherhood is that the proportion of women having children at older ages is increasing.

According to Antonio Pellicer, president of the IVI Institute, 40% of women become mothers at 35 or older, compared to 28% two decades ago.

This change can affect both the number of children women eventually have and the biological chances of becoming pregnant.

Female fertility declines with age, especially after 35, although the rate of decline varies from person to person.

Therefore, delaying motherhood does not necessarily mean having fertility problems, but it can reduce the time available to fulfil reproductive plans.

Work-life balance remains a challenge

The barometer also highlights the conditions women face after becoming mothers.

Only half of those surveyed said they had enough flexibility at work to combine their job with caring for their children.

In addition, less than a third reported having access to childcare support services.

These figures show that the difficulties do not end once pregnancy is achieved: organising family and professional life also shapes decisions about how many children to have and when.

One in six women has experienced infertility

The study also addresses another reality related to motherhood: difficulties in achieving pregnancy.

According to data from the IVI Institute, one in six women has experienced infertility at some point in her life, a proportion that would amount to roughly 1.5 million women in Spain.

In addition, around 350,000 are estimated to have faced these difficulties in the past twelve months, according to figures presented by Nicolás Naranjo, CEO de IVI Institute Iberia, Latinoamérica y Chequia.

Faced with these problems, many women turn to healthcare professionals. 25% of those surveyed said they had sought medical help to achieve pregnancy, a figure that rises to 81% among those who have experienced infertility.

Wanting to have children does not always mean being able to do so when you want

The results of the barometer reveal a significant gap between personal plans and the real conditions for starting a family.

Most Spanish women surveyed already have children or want to have them, but factors such as housing, employment, relationship stability, and work-life balance can delay that decision for years.

The issue, according to the study, is not simply whether women want to be mothers, but whether they have the necessary conditions to do so at the time they wish.