ABSTRACT
This chapter shows that in a new context created by changes in the status of women, individualism and its associated values have become integral elements of the choices American women make to have or not to have children. It argues that three such values, fairness, freedom, and responsibility, are crucial in the reasoning surrounding women's reproductive decision making. The chapter examines how the values are acted out clarifies the connections between reproductive decisions at the individual level and fertility trends at the national level. Findings from the interviews can be summarized in terms of motivations and ideal prerequisites for parenthood, and general rules for reproductive decisions. The literature on reproductive decision making and fertility trends is dominated by quantitative research on nationally representative data sets. The statements concern the fairness of fertility decisions and desires with regard to the husband's desires as they are perceived by the wife.
