Exploring the perception of childbearing barriers in a low fertility subgroup of Iran
A qualitative study
Keywords:
Fertility, Iran, Qualitative studyAbstract
Background: In Iran, the total fertility rate is 1.8 and it is especially low in highly educated women. Also, there is a considerable difference between the ideal and realized fertility in this sub-population. Clear knowledge on the barriers to achieve the ideal family size is necessary to formulate policies. Objective: The study aimed at explaining the barriers of childbearing in this sub-population. Methods: This was a qualitative study using conventional content analysis. The study was conducted from April 2015 to January 2016 across the colleges of Kerman University of Medical Sciences in the southeast of Iran. The study population consisted of PhD students and faculty members who were studying and working in this university. We used semi-structured interviews to collect data. The sampling procedure was purposeful sampling and it continued until data saturation was achieved. Conventional content analysis was performed to analyze the gathered data. Results: Twenty two participants took part, all of whom were married and half of whom were women. Eight of the participants were faculty members and the rest were PhD students. Two categories were extracted, including lake of enabling environment and personal preferences as the main barriers to childbearing in the highly educated subpopulation. Each of the categories included corresponding secondary and primary categories. Conclusions: Different factors affect childbearing decision making in highly educated people. Taking into account these barriers is important at the time of formulating pro-natalist policies.References
McDonald P, Hosseini-Chavoshi M, Abbasi-Shavazi MJ, Rashidian A. An assessment of recent Iranian
fertility trends using parity progression ratios. Demographic Research. 2015; 32(58): 1581-602. doi:
4054/DemRes.2015.32.58.
Hosseini-Chavoshi M, McDonald P, Abbasi-Shavazi MJ, Rashidian A. Tempo and quantum of fertility in
Iran: An Application of the Synthetic Parity Progression Ratio Method. XXVII IUSSP International
Population Conference; 2013.
Eyni-Zeynab H, Soltani Z, Shams-Ghahfarokhi F, Shiri M, Eslami M, Motlagh ME. The multivariate study
of the changes in fertility trend in Iran. Tehran: Statistical Research and Training Center. 2015. Available
frrrom: http://www.srtc.ac.ir/en/ResearchPlan/DetailView/258/.html.
Kazemipour S, Zahedian A, Safakish M, Rezaei-Ghahroudi Z, Eslami M, Eyni-Zeynab H, et al. Attitudes
of youths on the verge of marriage and 15-49 married women on childbearing and examine influential
cultural, societal and economic factors on it. Tehran: Statistical Research and Training Center. 2015.
Available from: http://www.srtc.ac.ir/en/ResearchPlan/DetailView/206/.html.
Rindfuss RR, Bumpass L, St John C. Education and fertility: implications for the roles women occupy.
American sociological review. 1980; 45(3): 431-47. doi: 10.2307/2095176. PMID: 7406358.
Cleland J. Education and future fertility trends, with special reference to mid-transitional countries. UN
Population Bulletin. 2002.
Baker DP, Leon J, Smith Greenaway EG, Collins J, Movit M. The Education Effect on Population Health:
A Reassessment. Population and Development Review. 2011; 37(2): 307-32. doi: 10.1111/j.1728- 4457.2011.00412.x.
Basu AM. Why does education lead to lower fertility? A critical review of some of the possibilities. World
Development. 2002; 30(10): 1779-90. doi: 10.1016/S0305-750X(02)00072-4.
Davia MA, Legazpe N. Educational attainment and maternity in Spain: not only “when” but also “how”.
Review of Economics of the Household. 2015; 13(4): 871-900. doi: 10.1007/s11150-014-9249-6.
McDonald P. Theory pertaining to low fertility. International Perspectives on Low Fertility: Trends,
Theories and Policies. Tokyo; 2001.
Mills M, Rindfuss RR, McDonald P, Te Velde E. Why do people postpone parenthood? Reasons and social
policy incentives. Human reproduction update. 2011; 17(6): 848-60. doi: 10.1093/humupd/dmr026. PMID:
; PMCID: PMCPMC3529638.
McDonald P. Gender equity in theories of fertility transition. Population and Development Review. 2000;
(3): 427-39. doi: 10.1111/j.1728-4457.2000.00427.x.
Ni Bhrolchain M, Beaujouan E. Fertility postponement is largely due to rising educational enrolment.
Population studies. 2012; 66(3): 311-27. doi: 10.1080/00324728.2012.697569. PMID: 22889178; PMCID:
PMC3479627.
Aghajanian A, Agha H, Gross AB. Cumulative fertility in Iran. Journal of Comparative Family Studies.
; 27(1): 59-72.
Abbasi-Shavazi MJ, Lutz W, Hosseini-Chavoshi M, KC S. Education and the world's most rapid fertility
decline in Iran. International Institute or Applied Systems Analysis. 2008.
Rindfuss RR, Choe MK. Diversity across Low-Fertility Countries: An Overview. Low and Lower Fertility:
Variations across Developed Countries. Cham: Springer International Publishing. 2015: 1-13. doi:
1007/978-3-319-21482-5.
Luci-Greulich A, Thévenon O. The Impact of Family Policies on Fertility Trends in Developed Countries.
European Journal of Population / Revue européenne de Démographie. 2013; 29(4): 387-416. doi:
1007/s10680-013-9295-4.
Malterud K. Qualitative research: standards, challenges, and guidelines. Lancet. 2001; 358(9280): 483-8.
doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(01)05627-6. PMID: 11513933.
Pope C, Mays N. Qualitative research in health care: Blackwell Publishing Ltd; 2006.
Speziale HS, Streubert HJ, Carpenter DR. Qualitative research in nursing: Advancing the humanistic
imperative: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2002.
Graneheim UH, Lundman B. Qualitative content analysis in nursing research: concepts, procedures and
measures to achieve trustworthiness. Nurse education today. 2004; 24(2): 105-12. doi:
1016/j.nedt.2003.10.001.
Guba EG. Criteria for assessing the trustworthiness of naturalistic inquiries. Educational Technology
Research and Development. 1981; 29(2): 75-91. doi: 10.1007/BF02766777.
Lincoln YS. Emerging criteria for quality in qualitative and interpretive research. Qualitative inquiry. 1995;
(3): 275-89. doi: 10.1177/107780049500100301.
Margolis R, Myrskylä M. Parental Well-being Surrounding First Birth as a Determinant of Further Parity
Progression. Demography. 2015; 52(4): 1147-66. doi: 10.1007/s13524-015-0413-2.
Abbasi-Shavazi M, McDonald P, Hosseini–Chavoshi M. Women's Autonomy and Fertility Behaviour. The
Fertility Transition in Iran: Revolution and Reproduction. Dordrecht: Springer. 2009: 163-77. doi:
1007/978-90-481-3198-3_9.
Abbasi-Shavazi MJ, Torabi F. Women’s Education and Fertility in Islamic Countries. Population Dynamics
in Muslim Countries: Assembling the Jigsaw. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Berlin Heidelberg. 2012: 43-62.
doi: 10.1007/978-3-642-27881-5_4.
Abbasi-Shavazi M, McDonald P, Hosseini–Chavoshi M. The Fall in Iranian Fertility: Theoretical
Considerations. The Fertility Transition in Iran: Revolution and Reproduction. Dordrecht: Springer
Netherlands; 2009: 1-16. doi: 10.1007/978-90-481-3198-3_1.
Benzies K, Tough S, Tofflemire K, Frick C, Faber A, Newburn-Cook C. Factors influencing women's
decisions about timing of motherhood. Journal of obstetric, gynecologic, and neonatal nursing: JOGNN.
; 35(5): 625-33. doi: 10.1111/j.1552-6909.2006.00079.x. PMID: 16958718.
Cooke A, Mills TA, Lavender T. Advanced maternal age: Delayed childbearing is rarely a conscious
choice: A qualitative study of women's views and experiences. International Journal of Nursing Studies.
; 49(1): 30-9. doi: 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2011.07.013.
Kariman N, Simbar M, Ahmadi F, Vedadhir AA. Concerns about one’s own future or securing child’s
future: paradox of childbearing decision making. Scientific Research. 2014; 2014. doi:
4236/health.2014.610128.
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2020 KNOWLEDGE KINGDOM PUBLISHING
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
