According to demographers, women’s will and determination are the most influential factors in the increase or decline of fertility within any society. The main issue explored in this article is the underlying and strategic reasons for delayed childbearing from the perspective of young women, based on their lived experiences. Therefore, this research was conducted within the framework of qualitative inquiry and employed a descriptive phenomenological approach. The data collection tool consisted of semi‑structured interviews using a purposive sampling method with up to 20 participants, achieving data saturation. The data were analyzed through thematic analysis and categorized into 49 open codes, 15 organizing codes, and 6 overarching themes. The findings indicate that women postpone or avoid childbearing mainly due to concerns about their children’s uncertain future, economic anxiety shaped by family and social structures, disruption of peace and comfort in personal life, changes in body shape and physical appearance, potential health risks, and the loss of educational, occupational, or welfare opportunities. It appears that part of these reasons stem directly from women themselves, while others relate to the will and influence of their spouses or families. Moreover, four distinct groups of women were identified based on their attitudes toward non‑childbearing: development‑oriented women, individualistic women, uncertain women, and negative‑attitude women—with negative perceptions found to play a decisive role in reducing women’s willingness to have children.