Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1 Student Research Committee, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran Department of Midwifery and Reproductive Health, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran
2 Department of Midwifery and Reproductive Health, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
3 Department of Adult Health Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
4 Department of Social Sciences, Isfahan University, Isfahan, Iran
Abstract
BACKGROUND: One of the most basic life events is fertility or reproduction, which, although known
as a social phenomenon, is a complex and multidimensional concept with economic, cultural, political,
and religious significance. The present study aims to explain the pattern of childbearing behaviors
in couples.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study is a focused ethnographic qualitative research. Participants
of this study will be 20–35 years old couples who, using purposeful sampling method, will be selected
from comprehensive health centers, ultrasound centers, laboratories, premarital counseling centers,
offices of obstetricians and midwives, universities, shopping centers, cinemas, parks, restaurants,
and entertainment centers in Isfahan, Iran. Sampling will continue considering the strategy of
maximum variation in terms of age, occupation, education, and economic status until data saturation
is reached. Data will be collected through semi‑structured and in‑depth individual interviews, focus
group discussions, observation, field notes, daily notes, and document analysis. Simultaneous with
data collection, the data will be analyzed using the thematic analysis method based on Braun and
Clarke’s approach.
CONCLUSION: This present study is expected to lead to a deep understanding and identification of
the attitudes, beliefs, and values of couples with regard to childbearing. Moreover, by understanding
the pattern of childbearing behaviors of couples, useful information will be provided to the policymakers
and planners for effective planning in the field of healthy childbearing. The findings can also be used
in reproductive health counseling for newly married couples and community‑based interventions.
Keywords
study on the transformation of fertility and childbearing concept
in Iran. J Reprod Infertil 2017;18:153‑61.
2. Sear R, Lawson DW, Kaplan H, Shenk MK. Understanding
variation in human fertility: What can we learn from evolutionary
demography? Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2016;371:1-16.
3. Burke NJ, Joseph G, Pasick RJ, Barker JC. Theorizing social
context: Rethinking behavioral theory. Health Educ Behav
2009;36 Suppl 5:55S‑70S.
4. Kariman N, Simbar M, Ahmadi F, Vedadhir AA. Socioeconomic
and emotional predictors of decision making for timing
motherhood among Iranian women in 2013. Iran Red Crescent
Med J 2014;16:e13629.
5. Yohannes S, Wondafrash M, Abera M, Girma E. Duration and
determinants of birth interval among women of child bearing
age in Southern Ethiopia. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2011;11:38.
6. Jafari H, Jaafaripooyan E, Vedadhir AA, Foroushani AR,
Ahadinejad B, Pourreza A. Socio‑economic factors influencing
on total fertility rate in Iran: A panel data analysis for the period
of 2002‑2012. Electron Physician 2016;8:2551‑6.
7. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The Power of
Choice. New York: UNFPA State of the World Population Report;
2018. Available from: https://www.unfpa.org/sites/default/
files/pub‑pdf/UNFPA_PUB_2018_EN_SWP.pdf. [Last accessed
on 2020 Dec 19].
8. Enayat H, Parnian L. The study of cultural globalization and
tendency to fertility. Sociol Women 2013;4:109‑36.
9. Hosseini H, Bagi B. Socioeconomic, cultural and demographic
determinants of childbearing desires among married women
attending health centers in Hamedan (2012). J Kermanshah Univ
Med Sci 2014;18:35‑43.
10. Firouzbakht M, Tirgar A, Hajian‑Tilaki K, Ebadi A, Bakouei F,
Nikpour M, et al. Social capital and fertility behaviors among
female workers in healthcare settings: Study protocol of a
sequential explanatory mixed methods study. Reprod Health
2018;15:67.
11. Tavakol Z, Nasrabadi AN, Moghadam ZB, Salehiniya H. The
presence of the child, the opportunity or a threat to marital
satisfaction: A qualitative study. J Educ Health Promot 2019;8:67.
12. Lee R, Mason A; Members of the NTA Network. Is low
fertility really a problem? Population aging, dependency, and
consumption. Science 2014;346:229‑34.
13. Verbič M, Spruk R. Aging population and public pensions:
Theory and macroeconometric evidence. Panoeconomicus
2014;61:289‑316.
14. Kreyenfeld M, Konietzka D. Childlessness in Europe: Contexts,
Causes, and Consequences. Germany: Springer Nature; 2017.
15. Holton S, Fisher J, Rowe H. Attitudes toward women and
motherhood: Their role in Australian women’s childbearing
behavior. Sex Roles 2009;61:677‑87.
16. Erfani A, Beaujot R. Familial orientations and the rationales for
childbearing behaviour. Can Stud Popul 2006;33:49‑67.
17. Seifoori B, Darmian GH, Majdi A, Kermani M. Qualitative
demographic evaluation of fertility among Iranian married women.
Gend Issues 2021;38:1-14. [doi: 10.1007/s12147‑020‑09267‑y].
18. Baki‑Hashemi S, Kariman N, Ghanbari S, Pourhoseingholi MA,
Moradi M. Factors affecting the decline in childbearing in Iran: A systematic review. Adv Nurs Midwifery 2018;27:11‑9.
19. DeMaria AL, Rivera S, Naoum Z, Ramos‑Ortiz J, Meier S,
Dykstra C. Contextualising challenges of reproduction and
motherhood in Florence, Italy: A qualitative study. Eur J
Contracept Reprod Health Care 2020;25:8‑19.
20. García D, Brazal S, Rodríguez A, Prat A, Vassena R. Knowledge
of age‑related fertility decline in women: A systematic review.
Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 2018;230:109‑18.
21. Beaujouan É, Reimondos A, Gray E, Evans A, Sobotka T. Declining
realisation of reproductive intentions with age. Hum Reprod
2019;34:1906‑14.
22. Molina‑García L, Hidalgo‑Ruiz M, Cocera‑Ruíz EM,
Conde‑PuertasE, Delgado‑Rodríguez M, Martínez‑Galiano JM. The
delay of motherhood: Reasons, determinants, time used to achieve
pregnancy, and maternal anxiety level. PLoS One 2019;14:e0227063.
23. Azmoude EM, Behnam HB, Barati‑Far SB, Kabirian MM. The
relationship of socio‑demographic factors, fertility behavior and
child’s perceived value with fertility. Int J Community Based Nurs
Midwifery 2017;5:123‑33.
24. Neels K, Murphy M, Ní Bhrolcháin M, Beaujouan É. Rising
educational participation and the trend to later childbearing.
Popul Dev Rev 2017;43:667‑93.
25. Lindberg LD, Kost K, Maddow‑Zimet I. The role of men’s
childbearing intentions in father involvement. J Marriage Fam
2017;79:44‑59.
26. Isfahan Management and Planning Organization ‑ Deputy of
Statistics and Information. Excerpts of Results General Census
of Population and Housing 2016 – Isfahan Province; 2016.
Available from: https://www.mpo‑es.ir/dorsapax/Data/Sub
_1/File. [Last accessed on 2020 Dec 20].
27. Draper J. Ethnography: Principles, practice and potential. Nurs
Stand 2015;29:36‑41.
28. Streubert HJ, Carpenter DR. Qualitative Research in Nursing:
Advancing the Humanistic Imperative. 5th ed. Philadelphia:
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2011.
29. Shojaei A, Salari P. COVID‑19 and the “Stay at home”
recommendation: An ethnographic study. J Edu Health Promot
2021;10:62.
30. Braun V, Clarke V. Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qual
Res Psychol 2006;3:77‑101.
31. Lincoln YS, Guba EG. Naturalistic Inquiry. New York: Sage
Publications; 2006.
32. Polit DF, Beck CT. Nursing research: Generating and Assessing
Evidence for Nursing Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott
Williams & Wilkins; 2017.
33. Green J, Thorogood N. Qualitative Methods for Health Research.
London: Sage publications; 2004.
34. Araban M, Karimy M, Armoon B, Zamani‑Alavijeh F.
Factors related to childbearing intentions among women:
A cross‑sectional study in health centers, Saveh, Iran. J Egypt
Public Health Assoc 2020;95:6.
35. Irani M, Khadivzadeh T. The relationship between childbearing
motivations with fertility preferences and actual child number in
reproductive‑age women in Mashhad, Iran. J Educ Health Promot
2018;7:175.
36. Saraei H. Population reproduction of Iran: Current status and
some policy considerations. QJSS 2015;68:1‑35.
37. Macaluso M, Wright‑Schnapp TJ, Chandra A, Johnson R,
Satterwhite CL, Pulver A, et al. A public health focus on infertility
prevention, detection, and management. Fertil Steril 2010;93:10.
e1‑10.
38. Ajzen I, Fishbein M. The influence of attitudes on behavior. In:
Albarracín D, Johnson BT, Zanna MP, editors. The Handbook of
Attitudes. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum; 2005. p. 173‑221.
39. Razina NV. Attitudes to motherhood in different cultures. Psychol
Russ 2014;7:93‑104.
40. Roy S, Banerjee P. Finding a Way Out of the Ethnographic
Paradigm Jungle. Qual Rep 2012;17:1‑20.