The 63-year-old has no regrets about not having children because she doesn't "have the patience" for babies.
"I didn't want babies. I wouldn't have been a good mom for babies. I don't have the patience. I have the patience for puppies, but that's a quick stage," Winfrey told Good Housekeeping UK magazine.
Winfrey gave birth to a son when she was just 14, but he died in hospital a few weeks later.
Oprah on a mission to explore the beauty of Islam with new show
She doesn't think she missed out on being a parent because she is a mother figure to the 172 girls at her Leadership Academy boarding school in Johannesburg, South Africa.
"When people were pressuring me to get married and have children, I knew I was not going to be a person that ever regretted not having them, because I feel like I am a mother to the world's children," she said.
Did you know? Oprah Winfrey is the most powerful celebrity
"Love knows no boundaries. It doesn't matter if a child came from your womb or if you found that person at age 2, 10 or 20. If the love is real, the caring is pure and it comes from a good space, it works," she added.
Have something to add in the story? Share it in the comments below.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ