The Driving Forces behind Low Fertility Intention and Contraceptive Use among Prospective Brides in Tehran, Iran: Career or Educational Aspirations?

Farideh Khalajabadi Farahani, National Institute in Population Studies and Comprehensive Management of I.R. of Iran
Amir Erfani, Nipissing University

This study aims to examine whether women’s aspiration for advancing education and having a career after marriage, are associated with their fertility intention. This is based on the first phase of the Tehran Single Child Intention Study (TSCIS) conducted in July and August 2012 , in a representative sample of men and women attended premarital compulsory courses in Tehran (448 women were considered here). Nearly, 40% reported educational aspiration and 73.8% reported career aspiration after marriage. Multivariate analysis indicated that currently employed women who intended to work after marriage had a significantly lower fertility intension, compared to women having no intention to work after marriage irrespective to their current employment status (Beta coefficient=0.17, P<0.001), adjusting for age and education. Policy implications: The government should provide flexible and part-time careers for women to help them to fulfill their preferred number of children (i.e., two children), while being active economically.