As with most things in life, a lot has changed for men and women throughout the last few decades with regards to marriage, family and family planning. Nowadays there are many reasons why couples choose to have or not have children. Quite often it's a significant topic of discussion between friends at parties, around dinner tables and even at children's parties. With persistent pressures from family, friends and from the world, it has become increasingly difficult for couples and women to remain childfree. For many couples and women in society staying childfree is not a sustainable option but a preferable one. There are many reasons why individuals and couples choose to stay childfree. It's expensive to raise children with the existing economic state the world is in and it is no secret that raising a child can cost a lot of money. Some couples feel they can hardly take care of themselves and their own personal needs. Security and financial stability is an issue for many couples. They don't see it financially viable to have any children. "According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, families that make $70,000 a year or more will spend $260,520 to raise a child from birth through age 17 and this doesn't include college tuition, which can add up to $150,000 more for a four-year education" (Walker 126). There's also the current "trend" of couples who feel that a child would have a direct influence on their career path. "Nicole, also single and childfree, enjoys a lucrative salary and tells a different story." She smiled smugly as she shares, "My money worries are all self-centered. I don't have to worry about putting money away for college or unexpected concerns for kids or school finances" (Walker 129). These couples or individuals often make conscious decisions of choosing a career above the idea of raising a child. These parents have made a careful assessment as to why they shouldn't have any children, rather than having them and resenting it. Hence, the reason it's so crucial that individuals have the right in making the decision of having any children. Childfree women are slowly becoming the norm and are not the exception to the rule anymore. Women no longer feel pressured into acting as the maternal figure. The conscious decision by some to never have children comes as a happy choice for many. Some women just d