Reproductive Regrets among a Population-Based Sample of U.S. Women

Women have many reproductive options, but little is known about their regrets regarding prior choices and outcomes. Guided by the life-course stratified reproduction perspectives, this study draws on an open-ended question from wave I of National Survey Fertility Barriers, a representative telephone survey aged U.S. women conducted 2004 to 2006. The authors classified into five broad categories: (1) none, (2) problematic fertility, (3) unfulfilled fertility desires, (4) family, (5) pregnancy experiences. analyses separately motherhood status. Logistic regression analysis revealed that regardless parental status, those who were older, had infertility, or experiencing economic hardship more likely report regrets. also investigated factors associated with likelihood expressing specific In general, present findings confirm expectations based perspectives.