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MPR News Staff

To be or not to be... a mom

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Many women in their thirties feel mounting pressure to decide whether or not they're going to have children. But how do you know if motherhood is the right choice for you?

In recent years, more American women — about 20 percent — are ending their childbearing years without having children. While some can't conceive, many women are making a conscious decision not to have kids.

MPR News guest reporter Marianne Combs talked with two guests about how women decide whether or not they want to become mothers, and the pros and cons of both choices.

Hillary Frank is the creator and host of "The Longest Shortest Time," a popular podcast about parenting.

Jeanne Safer is a psychotherapist and the author of "Beyond Motherhood: Choosing a Life Without Children." Her new book is called, "The Golden Condom: And Other Essays on Love Lost and Found."