The Rise of "Childfree" Europe

The BBC reports:

Childless or childfree? Not so long ago, all women without children were known as childless, with its implication of a state of loss. Nowadays, a growing number of women are insisting on the term childfree - with its emphasis on liberation.

Mariah, who lives in Sweden, decided to be sterilised at the age of 25
An increasing number of women in their 30s are rejecting the job description that they believe comes with parenting - loss of freedom, reduced career prospects and financial burdens.

Numbers are difficult to come by, but London School of Economics sociologist Dr Catherine Hakim has carried out some extensive research in this area.

She has no doubt rising numbers of people are actively choosing not to have children.

"In many European countries around 10% of women reach the age of 45 with no kids," she says.

"Of that figure, there are those who

The culture of death.