Having a baby: mothers are concerned about reconciling and parents also the economy | Society

The first brake is the couple or rather not having it. Almost half of the mothers (47.6%) and slightly more than half of the parents (54.25%) delay their desire to have offspring in Spain up to four years. Men and women argue that the main reason for not embarking on parenting is the absence of a stable relationship. They are, however, somewhat more determined in the face of motherhood: the lack of a partner worries 25% while it is thought by 29% of men. The conciliation and the future work are in the thoughts especially of the future mothers; a bad economic situation weighs more among the next parents, according to the latest fertility survey Statistics National Institute (INE), published this Tuesday.

More than half of women from 45 to 49 who have not had children, would have liked to have them. The percentage is similar in men. 57% of them also look back and think, at that age, that they wanted to have them. In your case, there is no biological limitation as clear as that of women but there are constraints that hinder the process. "It is true that at these ages men can still be parents, but we must take into account the social age. It stops being seen with adolescents at 65, "says Albert Esteve, demographer and director of the Center for Demographic Studies of the Autonomous University of Barcelona. "Although it is said that the reproductive window is longer for men, the latest fertility studies for them show that their fertility also drops a lot after 40," adds Castro.

Both specialists consider that studying also data related to men helps to look for better solutions to the problem of low fertility in Spain. The delay of motherhood and fatherhood must be looked at early, adds Esteve. "The seed of this low fecundity is set at 25 years," explains the expert. The emancipation so late in Spain - where more than half of the young people of that age still live with their parents, compared to only 13% of countries like Denmark - delays the age of cohabitation as a couple and, consequently, the time of have children.

As with women, most of them want to have two children on average - almost half of those with 25 to 39 want it, and more than half of them for the rest of ages. And that aspiration stays halfway. The age range "critical" to bring creatures to the world, adds Esteve, is between 28 and 38 years. The delay of the emancipation that aims, added to the difficulties of conciliation and economic that they and they fear delays the decision. It is possible that they reach the first child, but it will be more complicated to reach the second. Spain is a country of unique children.