Abstract:For decades, the level of lifetime childlessness in Finland has been among the highest in Europe. Moreover, the shares of Finnish men and women who have no children have increased markedly in recent y...For decades, the level of lifetime childlessness in Finland has been among the highest in Europe. Moreover, the shares of Finnish men and women who have no children have increased markedly in recent years: Currently, around 20 % of women and 25 % of men in their forties are childless. The percentage of less educated women who are childless is also higher in Finland than in the other Nordic countries. Using register data, we analyse how childlessness is associated with marriage and with educational levels among Finnish men and women born in 1940–1965. In addition, using data from a national survey about fertility intentions, combined with follow-up data on births, we examine the prevalence of voluntary and involuntary childlessness and the factors that influence the transition to parenthood. The results show that childlessness is increasing within unions, and among the least educated men and women. We also find that while voluntary childlessness is rare, less than half of childless individuals who said they intended to have a child within 2 years were able to do so. Although Finland has some of the most generous family policies in the world, it appears that additional measures are needed to support men and women who want to start a family.Read More