> But societal pressure? I've never seen or experienced that, certainly not for males.

Not my experience. For years, when I was younger, I was pressured in many overt and subtle ways to be married and have children. A number of friendships eventually ended because my unwillingness to be married was a deal-breaker.

On hearing me express my lack of interest in marriage, one guy asked, "When are you going to start living up to your responsibilities?" That was the day I found out what "proletarian" means.

My favorite story in that connection was the day a woman I was dating confessed that, contrary to outward appearances, she had chosen me for my intelligence and was doing all she could be become pregnant by me. I instantly ended the relationship and began to seek a vasectomy.

But then the fun began -- most doctors refused to perform the vasectomy because I wasn't already married and I hadn't already had "my children". Others insisted that I had to get my wife's signature -- no wife, no procedure. One doctor initially agreed, then, when he discovered I wasn't a member of a minority group, refused.

Finally I met the ultimate western doctor who, on hearing my request, launched into a seemingly rehearsed speech that began, "Your sperm belongs to the state, son." I regretted not recording the conversation for posterity.

Then I heard about Planned Parenthood. They gave me a short speech about how the procedure was irreversible, then performed it.

Since then, since the vasectomy, on a couple of occasions I've had women say, "I'm late! And I think it's yours! Okay, I might have forgotten just this once to be disciplined about birth control, but haven't you ever been swept up in passion?"

That's why I'm a Planned Parenthood supporter. :)

There was a couple at our church who asked when we were going to start a family - the Sunday after we returned from our honeymoon. I think perhaps there can be a localized societal pressure, but I don't think you can look at the US and say there's an overall pressure.