More childless men

Relatively more men born in the period 1945-1964 are childless than women of the same generation. In addition, those who do have children are three years older on average than women born in the same period. Most younger generation fathers had their first child in their thirties.

More childlessness

The percentage of men without children has increased in successive generations. One in six men born shortly after World War II does not have any children, compared with one in four born in the period 1960-1964.

Relatively fewer women than men are childless. One in five women born in the period 1960-1964 do not have any children. The number of childless women also increased by less. One reason for the higher childlessness among men is that more men remain single.

Childless men and women by year of birth

Increasingly older first-time mothers and fathers

Both men and women are increasingly postponing parenthood. In the space of twenty years the average age men became a father for the first time rose from 27 to 31 years. The average age for first-time mothers rose from 24 to 28 years in the same period. Generations born in the 1950s postponed parenthood the longest.

Average age at birth of first child by parents’ year of birth

Many fathers over thirty

Just over a quarter of men born in the period 1945-1949 were thirty or older when their first child was born. This is now the case for most men. Six out of ten men born in 1960-1964 were thirty years or older.

Fathers’ average age at birth of first child, by fathers’ year of birth

Mila van Huis and Elma Wobma