How IVF has led to a record number of single moms in their 40s

January 14, 2026

A woman walking with a stroller

(NPR) – “I had never heard of being a single mom by choice before that,” says Terry, who is now 44. “It was like a light bulb went off.”

That light bulb is going off for a lot of single women. Today, 44% of women in America are unpartnered; finding someone and settling down has become less of a priority when they’re in their 20s or even 30s. And when some of them are ready to have kids, they aren’t letting singlehood deter them. (Read More)