Sex and relationship therapist Rachel Cooke joined Jennifer Zamparelli on RTÉ 2FM to chat about couples who are choosing to be child-free. Listen back above.
"We're calling it a 'trend' but I don't think it's about being the cool thing to do," says Rachel, who believes that being child-free has become increasingly popular over the past number of years.
"I think people are just being, maybe, a little bit more intentional about what they want from their lives. We live so much longer than we did a couple of hundred years ago, women have so much more opportunity rather than being at home - but also have the choice to choose that - so a lot less people are having kids."
Rachel notes that the term 'child-free' is an important distinction from those who are 'childless'. While deciding not to have children due to lifestyle or a lack of interest is referred to as 'child-free', the inability to have children despite a great want is a different situation altogether.
Despite societal pressure to have children (usually aimed at women aged 30 and over), Rachel says that there are a whole host of reasons being cited by those wishing to be child-free, ranging from career ambition to climate anxiety.
For some, it's simply about keeping their time, money, and energy focused on their own lives and their existing friendships and relationships.
No matter the motivation, though, being child-free isn't always an easy decision to come to, with many contemplating what it would be like to become a parent and build a certain type of family.
"Although child-free people don't tend to regret it, from what we can see from the research, there are a lot of people who are in that stage, probably in their 30s - later for men - questioning if that's the experience they want in their life."
Although every situation is different and there are no guarantees as to how any relationship will develop, Rachel says that some people believe that, while romantic relationships may end, having children will prevent them from feeling lonely - particularly later in life.
When it comes to deciding whether or not to have children, Rachel recommends taking some time to really question your motivations: Is having children something you really want or something you think you should do? Are you feeling pressured by your partner or family? What do you believe you would or wouldn't enjoy? What would you be like as a parent?
If you or your partner are finding it tricky to tackle these questions, Rachel says that a therapist or life coach specialising in the subject may be helpful in getting to the bottom of things.
To hear more on the subject, listen back above.
If you have been affected by issues raised in this story, please visit: www.rte.ie/helplines.
