Czech women still delaying parenthood for careers but trend is slowing down
Although many Czech women are still delaying parenthood to focus on careers, new research from the SYRI Institute suggests that this trend may be slowing down.
Since the 1990s, a prevailing trend in Czechia has been for women to delay parenthood in favor of career-building. However, the pace of this delay now appears to be weakening. Speaking at the SYRI Institute's annual conference in Brno, Jitka Slabá, a social reproduction expert, shared insights into the main factors behind this shift.
Founded two years ago in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the SYRI Institute unites researchers from Masaryk University, Charles University, and the Czech Academy of Sciences to address social crises and risks in health, education, the labor market, and communication.
Slabá pointed out that the primary reasons for delaying parenthood include career ambitions, educational goals, and financial stability. Housing availability and economic security also play significant roles, as do relationship stability and health considerations. These factors contribute to a decline in birth rates. Last year saw the lowest number of births in the Czech Republic since 2001, with only 91,200 births—a drop of over 10,000 from 2022. This downward trend has continued into 2024, with just 41,600 births recorded in the first half of the year.
On average, Czech women now have their first child at 29, reflecting a significant shift in societal norms. The “fertility timing gap”—the difference between the intended and actual age at first childbirth—underscores the challenge. Many women find themselves at an age when conceiving becomes more difficult due to delayed family planning.
According to Slabá, these shifts are especially notable among younger generations, with 35% of women born between 1985 and 1991 remaining childless at 31. Similar trends are observed in countries long considered models of work-life balance, such as those in Scandinavia, raising questions about the broader implications for fertility rates worldwide.
Changing relationship patterns may also be a key factor, Slabá explained. “Evolving relationship dynamics and new forms of partnerships can have a significant impact on reproductive plans, which could be crucial to understanding current fertility challenges,” she added.
