In recent years, the transition to childbearing at a later age has made up one of the most striking features of demographic change. Employing survey data, the paper analyses the causes and consequences of fertility postponement in the Czech Republic. We focus on the individual level of fertility postponement and the main emphasis is placed upon subjective interpretations thereof thanks to the Czech survey “Women 2016” (N=1257 women born in the period 1966-1990) including information on childbearing plans and timing, the subsequent realisation of these plans and reasons for timing plans not being fulfilled.

The paper focus on the planned age of childbearing and on the reasons for women failing to fulfil their plans and postponing childbearing for a much longer period than they originally envisaged. The unplanned postponement of both first and second births is analysed and the principal reasons identified. The context and reasons for unplanned postponement are analysed in detail with regard to the various socio-demographic characteristics of the women surveyed.

The results indicate that the key factors behind unplanned childbearing postponement consist of the lack of a suitable partner and health complications (concerning either the woman or her partner, and problems connected with conception which result in it taking longer than expected to become pregnant). It was concluded that unsuitable material conditions for having a child and factors related to education and labour market conditions made up less significant reasons for postponing motherhood and were cited as important principally by childless women in the youngest cohorts surveyed.