Beyond demographics: the role of family conditions in shaping childbearing attitudes among married women in Iran

Declining fertility rates have emerged as a major demographic and socioeconomic challenge worldwide, including in Iran. Understanding the role of family conditions in shaping women’s reproductive attitudes is essential for informing effective fertility-related policies and interventions.This study aimed to examine the relationship between family conditions and attitudes toward childbearing among married women in Sarab, Iran. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, the Family Conditions Questionnaire, and a researcher-developed Attitudes Toward Childbearing Questionnaire. The researcher-developed questionnaire demonstrated good validity and reliability (overall Cronbach’s alpha = 0.886), while the Family Conditions Questionnaire had previously established psychometric properties. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 27 using descriptive statistics, ANOVA, independent t-tests, Pearson’s correlation, and hierarchical regression analysis. Participants had a mean age of 31.4 years. Housewives reported more positive attitudes toward childbearing compared to employed women (p < 0.001). Significant differences were also observed across educational and financial groups (p < 0.001). Family conditions were strongly correlated with childbearing attitudes (r = 0.833, p < 0.01). Regression analysis showed that while demographic variables explained 13.1% of the variance in attitudes, inclusion of family conditions increased explained variance to 70.4%. Among family dimensions, educational (β = 0.270), economic (β = 0.266), and parenting interactions (β = 0.220) were the strongest predictors. Family conditions, particularly the educational and economic dimensions, were more strongly associated with married women’s attitudes toward childbearing than demographic characteristics. In addition, favorable family conditions attenuated the statistical associations between education, employment status, and childbearing attitudes in the regression models. These findings highlight the importance of considering family dynamics, spousal communication, and intergenerational support when developing policies and counseling strategies aimed at promoting positive attitudes toward childbearing in Iran. In recent years, the number of children that families in Iran choose to have has decreased. This trend is important because it can affect the balance of the population, leading to fewer young people and more elderly individuals in the future. Such changes can create social and economic challenges for families and society.This study looked at how family situations influence women’s attitudes toward having children. We worked with 380 married women living in Sarab, Iran, and asked them about their family conditions such as financial situation, education, cultural background, emotional support, and parenting roles and their feelings about childbearing.We found that women’s family conditions had a stronger effect on their attitudes toward having children than their personal characteristics such as age, education, or job. For example, women who felt supported by their family, had better financial stability, or received encouragement in education and parenting were more positive about having children. On the other hand, women with less support or more financial pressure were less likely to view childbearing positively.The results show that strong and supportive families can help women feel more confident and motivated about having children, even when education and employment might make it more difficult. This means that improving family support and communication is just as important as government policies for encouraging childbearing.