Declining Desire for Childbearing in Couples with Higher Education: A Qualitative Study in Iran

Abstract

Iran has experienced a significant decline in the fertility rate over the past decades. One of the principal reasons for this decline is decreased willingness to bear children, especially in the highly educated couples subset. For that reason, developing and implementing a successful population policy is essential to increase fertility in this subpopulation. The study aimed at explaining the unwillingness to bear children in this subgroup. The qualitative research was conducted using a content analysis approach based on the data acquired using in-depth and semi-structured interviews with couples with an educational level of master’s and above, and without children or having one child. In this study, in total, 40 couples (40 women and 40 men) were interviewed. Of the participants, 57.5% had one child. Four main themes were developed using conventional content analysis: rationality and awareness, gender equality and willingness to bear children, cultural and social renovation, and concern about the child’s future. The results indicated that different factors such as economic, social, and cultural reasons and less hope in the future affect unwillingness to bear children in highly educated couples. Taking into account, these factors are essential at the time of development and implementation of pro-natalist policies.