‘Mom by choice, single by life's circumstance…’ Findings from a large scale survey of the experiences of single mothers by choice

Abstract

There has been a rise in recent years in the number of women choosing to have a child without the involvement of a partner. These women, often referred to as ‘single mothers by choice’ or ‘choice mothers’ differ from single mothers who find themselves parenting alone following divorce or separation. The present study collected data on the motivations and experiences of 291 single mothers by choice using online questionnaires. The findings showed that women often sought advice from others and made practical changes before becoming choice mothers. The most common method used to have a child was sperm donation with most opting for an anonymous donor. The majority felt that it was important for their child to have a male role model, and most ensured that their child had a male figure in their lives. Many choice mothers expressed some concern about their child of growing up without a father, although this did not necessarily mean that they wished to form a relationship in the future. Single mothers by choice are a distinct group of single mothers and more detailed studies are required to focus on issues that are of most relevance to them.

Keywords:

• Choice mums
• single mothers by choice
• donor conception
• adoption

Acknowledgements

We wish to thank the ‘choice moms’ and ‘single mother by choice’ websites for advertising this study. We are also grateful to all the women who took part.