Being Resolute in Being a Voluntarily Childless Woman Living in Ireland: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study

Abstract

Almost one-fifth of women living in Ireland remain childless. While this trend reflects changing views towards mothering and womanhood, inquiry to date has predominantly concerned itself with the “why” of choosing to be childless, leading to a dearth of research on the lived experience of this phenomenon. The aim of this research study was to address this imbalance and to explore the lived experience of women living in Ireland who choose to be childless. To do this, a hermeneutic phenomenological research approach was taken. The evocative lived experiences of 15 voluntarily childless women living in Ireland were borrowed. Data analysis identified the common yet divergent human experiences of being fearful, being decisive, being judged, and being free. The original findings of this study consider fear as a positive factor in influencing the decision-making process around procreation for the participants of this study. While voluntarily childless women are often portrayed as wishing to avoid responsibility, the participants in this study experienced a sense of moral responsibility as well as freedom and self-expansion in choosing to forego motherhood. Consideration is also given to how best to respond psychotherapeutically to women who choose to be childless.