Newsweek Cover Story: Beyond Babies

The September 4 cover story for Newsweek's International Edition is all about the worldwide trend of postponing or skipping parenthood altogether.

In Greece, as in much of the world, having kids is no longer a given among a growing swath of the population. "Never before has childlessness been a legitimate option for women and men in so many societies," says Catherine Hakim, who studies the phenomenon at the London School of Economics. In a rapid shift occurring in countries as disparate as Switzerland and Singapore, Canada and South Korea, young people are extending their child-free adulthood by postponing children until they are well into their 30s, or even 40s and beyond. A growing share are ending up with no children at all.

The article goes on to explore the implications--everything from real estate to population--as well as the growing backlash from religious and conservative types.
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