In this study, which aimed to determine the relationships between childbearing motivation and sociodemographic and obstetric characteristics, the mean age of the women was 32.94 ± 7.63 years. In a study conducted by Azmoude et al. (2017), the mean age of the women was determined to be 31.12 ± 6.61 years [15]. In a study conducted by Irani and Khadivzadeh (2018), the mean age of the women was determined to be 31.5 years, and 49.5% of the women were between the ages of 25 and 35 [3]. The results of this study are consistent with the findings of other studies.
According to the findings of this study, 65.4% of the women were university graduates, 73% were not employed, and 72.4% had an income equal to their expenses. In a study conducted by Zare, Kiaetabar, and Ahangar (2019) in Iran with 450 women aged 18–35, 36% of the women had an associate or bachelor’s degree, 86.4% were housewives, and 72.4% had an average income status [16]. There is a difference between the conducted study and the results of this study in terms of education levels. This difference is thought to stem from the region where the studies were conducted and the country’s education policies.
Starting a family is one of the most exciting and important periods in an individual’s life. Many people dream of having children after starting a family [17]. According to the findings of this study, 61.6% of the women used contraceptive methods, whereas a study conducted by Kamiloglu and Irmak Vural (2022) reported that 86.7% of the women used family planning methods [18]. Today, the use of family planning methods has transformed the likelihood of parenthood into a choice [19]. In this study, 57.8% of the women did not desire to have children. A study conducted by Azmoude et al. (2020) revealed that 52.7% of women had no fertility intentions [15]. According to the 2018 Türkiye Demographic and Health Survey data, 53% of currently married women did not desire to have more children, whereas 14% stated that they desired their next pregnancy to be at least two years later [9]. The rise of contraception, education and greater participation in the labor market are among the reasons for fertility postponement and decline [19, 20]. In terms of the status of having children, the results of this study are consistent with the literature. However, in terms of planning the next pregnancy, the results of this study differ from the 2018 Türkiye Demographic and Health Survey data. This difference is thought to be caused by economic and social factors.
A weak positive correlation was found between the total score of the Childbearing Motivation Scale and employment status (r = 0.168, p = 0.023), whereas a weak negative correlation was found between the total score of the Childbearing Motivation Scale and spousal harmony (r = −0.181, p = 0.014). A weak positive correlation was found between the total score of the Negative Childbearing Motivation Scale and employment status (r = 0.146, p = 0.047), whereas a weak negative correlation was found between the total score of the Positive Childbearing Motivation Scale and spousal harmony (r = −0.184, p = 0.012). In the study conducted by Ustun and Beydag (2024), it was found that the mean score of the “negative impact of having children on life” sub-dimension of women who were employed was higher than other women, while the mean score of the “positive impact of having children on life” sub-dimension of women who were not employed was higher [21]. In other words, it can be said that the desire of working women to have children is lower than non-working women. The idea that having children may interfere with the career life of working women, the lack of facilities such as kindergartens in workplaces, and the fact that employers prefer to employ women without children or single women rather than pregnant women or women with children may cause women to limit the number of children. In addition to these issues, difficulties experienced at work make childcare more difficult for women.
In a study conducted by Zare, Kiaetabar, and Ahangar (2019) in Iran, a relationship was found between education level and positive fertility motivation, whereas a significant relationship was found between income status and negative fertility motivation [16]. In a study conducted by Irani and Khadivzadeh (2018) with 844 women of reproductive age (15–49 years) who were marrying for the first time in various regions of Mashhad, positive and negative childbearing motivations were not related to the actual number of children [3]. A review of the literature has revealed that better career expectations increase the desire to have children in both men and women [22,23,24]. The results of this study differ from the findings of the studies conducted by Zare, Kiaetabar, and Ahangar but are similar to the results of the studies conducted by Irani and Khadivzadeh. In a study conducted by Ciritel, De Rose, and Arezzo (2019) in Romania, which has a low fertility rate, age was identified as the only variable that had a significant effect on the intention to have children for both childless individuals and parents with one child [25]. The results of this study differ from the findings of studies conducted by Critel, De Rose, and Arezzo. The difference between the two studies is thought to stem from the difference in the perception of childbearing.
This study identified weak correlations between childbearing motivation and specific sociodemographic factors, offering nuanced insights into their influence. A weak positive correlation (r = 0.168, p = 0.023) between employment status and the total score of the Childbearing Motivation Scale indicates that employed women tend to exhibit slightly higher childbearing motivation, potentially due to increased financial stability or access to resources that facilitate family planning. Conversely, a weak negative correlation (r = −0.181, p = 0.014) between spousal harmony and the total score suggests that women with lower spousal compatibility may experience diminished motivation for childbearing, possibly reflecting relational stressors that affect fertility decisions. Similarly, the weak positive correlation (r = 0.146, p = 0.047) between employment status and the Negative Childbearing Motivation Scale implies that employed women may perceive greater barriers to parenthood, such as challenges related to work-life balance. In contrast, the weak negative correlation (r = −0.184, p = 0.012) with the Positive Childbearing Motivation Scale and spousal harmony emphasizes the significance of relationship quality in fostering positive fertility intentions. These findings underscore the complex interplay of psychosocial factors in shaping reproductive motivations within the Turkish context.
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