Is super-ageing Singapore headed for population decline?

Five years into her marriage to a finance executive, Clare* is still doing the sums on leaving behind a life unencumbered by the high price of parenthood.

At 31, the Singaporean doctor instead finds herself wondering if she will feel different about their “dink” (dual income, no kids) lifestyle in another three years.

“The thought of having kids also feels more like an obligation just to complete the nuclear family,” she said. “I see so many more disadvantages about having children, rather than being dinks.”

Clare is not alone. She and her husband are among a growing cohort of Singaporean couples choosing to delay having children, or opting out entirely, even as the city state’s fertility rate has dropped to a historic low of 0.87 – deep into territory that threatens outright population decline.

Married Singaporeans who spoke to This Week in Asia said a variety of factors had influenced their decision, from prioritising their careers to concerns about the cost of raising a child – to simply losing the freedom to do as they wished.

Project manager Cara Lee, 31, has ruled out having children altogether. Unwilling to sacrifice her lifestyle and hobbies, she also does not find the company of children rewarding, especially given the extra time commitment. On top of that, she has a brother with special needs who requires much of her attention.