Childlessness

Even though 90 percent of the population wants to be parents, not all couples feel that way. Couples who choose to remain childless challenge the traditionally held belief that children are a natural and desired part of marriage. Recent studies have surveyed childless couples to determine their attitude toward children in their future. The Canadian Fertility Survey results showed that even though at the time of the survey 35.2 percent of women were childless, only 9.6 percent expected to remain childless (1993) (McGraw-Hill Ryerson 293). When discussing childlessness it is important to consider whether a couple remains childless by choice or naturally.

The nuclear family includes a mother, father and their two beautiful children (one boy, one girl). This family is the perceived desired way of life in Western society, yet Canada had a declining birthrate (Fox 165). Is the nuclear family truly the ultimate family form? Historically if a couple could not have children they were