Abstract: (1128 Views)
Introduction: In recent decades, fertility rate in Fars Province has declined. Given the key role of ideal fertility in shaping reproductive behaviour and the influence of individual, social, and economic factors on fertility intentions, this study aimed to examine the level of fertility desire and its associated factors among women of reproductive age in Shiraz, Iran.
Methods: This cross-sectional study used a survey approach. The study population comprised 350000 Iranian married women aged 15–54 years who attended health care centres in Shiraz. A total of 627 participants were selected through multistage cluster sampling. Data were collected using a researcher-designed questionnaire and analysed using SPSS version 16, applying descriptive statistics and inferential tests.
Results: The mean age of participants was 37.59 ± 7.00 years, and 44.8% (n = 281) reported a desire for further childbearing. The ideal number of children was two for 68.3% of the women. A statistically significant association was observed between the current number of children and the ideal number of children (p < 0.05). Women who expressed a desire for childbearing reported significantly higher ideal numbers of children. Additionally, 56.2% of women with a stated gender preference preferred daughters. The mean age of women and their spouses who desired childbearing was significantly lower than that of those without such desire (p < 0.001). Fertility desire was not significantly associated with couples’ education or income levels (p > 0.05), but was significantly related to women’s employment status (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: The findings indicate that, in the current context, childbearing extends beyond an individual decision and is strongly influenced by social structures and women’s living conditions. Therefore, population policies should prioritise supporting women’s multiple roles – particularly by facilitating a better balance between work and family life – to help align ideal fertility with actual fertility.
Methods: This cross-sectional study used a survey approach. The study population comprised 350000 Iranian married women aged 15–54 years who attended health care centres in Shiraz. A total of 627 participants were selected through multistage cluster sampling. Data were collected using a researcher-designed questionnaire and analysed using SPSS version 16, applying descriptive statistics and inferential tests.
Results: The mean age of participants was 37.59 ± 7.00 years, and 44.8% (n = 281) reported a desire for further childbearing. The ideal number of children was two for 68.3% of the women. A statistically significant association was observed between the current number of children and the ideal number of children (p < 0.05). Women who expressed a desire for childbearing reported significantly higher ideal numbers of children. Additionally, 56.2% of women with a stated gender preference preferred daughters. The mean age of women and their spouses who desired childbearing was significantly lower than that of those without such desire (p < 0.001). Fertility desire was not significantly associated with couples’ education or income levels (p > 0.05), but was significantly related to women’s employment status (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: The findings indicate that, in the current context, childbearing extends beyond an individual decision and is strongly influenced by social structures and women’s living conditions. Therefore, population policies should prioritise supporting women’s multiple roles – particularly by facilitating a better balance between work and family life – to help align ideal fertility with actual fertility.
Type of Study: Orginal |
Subject:
Women, reproduction, embryology, fertility and infertility
Received: 2025/02/10 | Accepted: 2025/08/23
Received: 2025/02/10 | Accepted: 2025/08/23
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