Press release No. 226 of 14 June 2023

WIESBADEN – In 2022, the rate of childlessness in Germany stood at 20%. This rate refers to the share of women who have not borne children in all women aged between 45 and 49 in 2022 (1973-1977 birth cohorts). Based on the results of the 2022 microcensus, the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) also reports that the rate of childlessness at the end of childbearing age has therefore remained virtually unchanged in Germany since 2012. By contrast, it had risen steadily in the three decades prior to this, almost doubling from 11% among the 1930s birth cohorts to 21% among women born at the end of the 1960s.

In western Germany in particular, the rate of childlessness has stabilised and, at 20% in 2022, was even slightly lower than in 2012 (21%). In eastern Germany (excluding Berlin), the childlessness rate in 2022 stood at 14% and was therefore substantially lower than in western Germany and somewhat below the rate reported in 2018 (15%).
It did, however, increase by 3 percentage points between 2012 and 2018, and only then stabilised between the 14% and 15% mark.

 

Substantial differences in childlessness among the Länder

With reference to women aged between 45 and 54 in 2022, the rate of childlessness varied between the Länder, ranging from 13% in Thüringen to 29% in Hamburg. The second highest rate (25%) was reported in Berlin. In the remaining western Länder, the childlessness rate ranged between 17% and 23%. Of the non-city Länder of eastern Germany, Brandenburg was an exception with the relatively high rate of 17%. In the remaining eastern Länder, the rate was substantially lower (13% or 14%). In Germany as a whole, 20% of women aged 45-54 were childless.

Rate of childlessness varies between 8% and 24% depending on women’s educational level and country of birth

Among women born in the years 1973 to 1977, the rate of childlessness stood at 23% if they had a high level of education, 21% for women with a medium level of education, and 11% for those with a low level of education. The level of education is presented here according to the three categories of the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED 2011).

Overall, women who were born in Germany or immigrated to Germany as girls before the age of 15 tended to be childless more often (22%) than women who arrived in Germany at age 15 and over (12%). However, there were also clear differences within these two groups depending on the level of education. Among the women who had grown up in Germany, the rate of childlessness varied between 16% for women with a low level of education and 24% for women with a high level of education. Among those who immigrated to Germany aged 15 and over, this range was even wider but the rate of childlessness was lower, extending from 8% for women with a low level of education to 18% for those with a high education level.

 

Methodological notes

These results are based on the information provided by women on the number of children born in the 2022 microcensus. Unlike the usual approach taken in the microcensus, only a woman’s biological children are covered here, irrespective of whether they live in the respondent’s household. By contrast, the usual definition of households and families used in the microcensus does not distinguish between biological, adopted or foster children, and only children living in the household at the time of the survey are taken into consideration.

Since 2008, the microcensus has been collecting data on the number of children born, usually on a four-year basis. These data serve to complement birth statistics, which are based on the births reported by the registrar’s offices. The microcensus is the only official data source currently available on the structure of women by the number of children born, and therefore for measuring the level of childlessness.

The microcensus is a sample survey covering roughly 1% of the population in Germany each year. All data are based on the information provided by the respondents. There is no obligation to provide information (only in German) concerning the number of children born. To supply information on the total population from the data collected, the data are grossed up using the benchmarks from population updates. Far-reaching changes to the methodology used in the microcensus were implemented in the 2020 reference year. Detailed information explaining the modifications and the effects of the redesigned microcensus since 2020 and methodological notes on the results of the 2022 microcensus are provided on a special webpage .

More information:

More methodological notes and graphics with information on childlessness and mothers by number of children born are provided in an article under the “Current news” (only in German) section of the “Births” page of the Federal Statistical Office. More detailed results can be found in the Statistical Report entitled “Women by number of children born” (in German only) and in the GENESIS-Online database (tables 12612-0050 to 12612-0052).