P-496 Being a solo mother: an exploration of parenting experiences and support needs of women who intentionally choose to become mothers without a partner
Authors: Chamberlain P , Jadva V , Buckley S 
Published: July 2024

Abstract

Study question
What support sources do solo mothers in the UK use, how supported do they feel and what areas are lacking?

Summary answer
Most solo mothers feel supported by family, friends and paid childcare and are confident in their parenting despite finding it difficult to ask for help.

What is known already
An increasingly common family type, often referred to as ‘solo mothers,’ ‘single mothers by choice’ or ‘choice mothers’, is defined by women who intentionally choose to become mothers without the involvement of a partner. Solo mothers are a relatively homogenous group, who are generally well-educated, employed in professional careers, and financially stable, with most becoming mothers in their mid-thirties/forties.
Although solo mothers are frequently described as self-determined and motivated individuals with a strong preparedness for parenting that encompasses both economic and social resources, there is a notable absence of research on their specific parenting experiences and support needs.

Study design, size, duration
A cross-sectional study was conducted using an online survey. The questionnaire was distributed via solo mother-specific Facebook groups and through newsletters, emails and social media of the Donor Conception Network (DCN). A total of 139 participants responded between July 2021 and February 2022.

Participants/materials, setting, methods
Most participants were aged 36-45 (53%, 74), had one child (73%, 102) under the age of 11 (88%, 140). Almost all solo mothers had used donated sperm from an unknown donor through a clinic or sperm bank (95%, 132) and around a fifth used donated eggs (22%, 31). All quantitative data was treated as non-parametric and were analysed using descriptive statistics and Spearman’s Rho Correlation tests. Open-ended questionnaire responses were analysed using qualitative content analysis.

Main results and the role of chance
The most commonly used sources of support for solo mothers in the UK were family members (89%, 123) and non-solo mother friends (80%, 110). Paid childcare was used by 71% (98) of participants with solo mothers using it at least a few times per week. Facebook, particularly solo mum-specific groups, and resources from the Donor Conception Network (DCN, a support organisation for families formed using donor conception) were used by nearly three quarters of respondents (70%, 94 and 71%, 98, respectively). The majority of participants felt supported (78%, 108) but around a quarter (23%, 25) mentioned the need for financial support and the difficulties of relying on a single salary and having to pay for costly childcare.
Most solo mums felt confident in their parenting (87%, 122) but found it difficult to ask for help from others (56%, 77). Barriers to asking for help included challenges to autonomy and self-identity, inability to recognise the need for support, fear and apprehension with others, and the emotional aspect of asking for support. There were positive correlations between feeling supported and confidence in parenting (ρ = 0.405, p &lt;.001) and feeling supported and ease in asking for help (ρ = 0.458, p &lt;.001).

Limitations, reasons for caution
The use of solo mother-specific Facebook groups and DCN resources to recruit solo mothers may have introduced some bias in the sampling methods which may have led to our participants not being more broadly representative of UK solo mothers.

Wider implications of the findings
Whilst solo mothers may typically be highly educated and financially stable, this is not always the case. Some face challenges in accessing and paying for practical and emotional support. Future research should address provision of better support, given the increasing numbers of solo mother families in the UK and elsewhere.

Trial registration number
not applicable