Up First from NPR Why more women are choosing to be single mothers
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May 10, 2026 
Pallavi Gogoi, NPR journalist and chief business editor who reported on single motherhood, walks through why more women are choosing to parent alone. She outlines changing demographics and deliberate choices. Stories cover intentional paths to parenthood, balancing dating and selfhood, reproductive technology and costs, community-building, and cultural shifts reshaping stigma.
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Single Motherhood Has Transformed Demographically
- Single motherhood demographics have shifted: around 40% of U.S. kids are born to unmarried mothers, up from 5% in 1960.
- Unmarried women over 30 are the fastest growing group of single parents, reshaping old stereotypes about age and poverty.
How Stephanie Chose Motherhood After A Breakup
- Stephanie Goebbler chose motherhood after a breakup and found support in single-mom forums before using a sperm donor.
- She went from an extreme-athlete architect to raising two boys, Caleb (5) and Evan (almost 2), on her own in a four-bedroom home.
Intentionality Shapes Single Mothers' Approach
- Many women who choose single parenthood do so intentionally and bring heightened planning and stability to parenting.
- They often prepare financially and emotionally, recognizing they cannot 'return a baby' and must 'get it together.'