Childbearing as Risk: (Qualitative Study of Milieu for Bearing Few Children in Tabriz City)

Understanding of the underlying factors of fertility decline in Iran, which is experiencing below replacement fertility according to the existing knowledge, needs especial attention. Present study, aimed at exploring the socio-economic and cultural grounds of bearing few children among women of Tabriz city, by taking a qualitative approach. To this end, utilizing purposive sampling technique, viewpoints of 30 women about their childbearing experiences are gathered and analyzed by the use of semi-structured in-depth interviews and Grounded Theory. Analyzing narratives of women about their childbearing experiences show that bearing few children could be understood with a four dimensional meaning system of risk, including: Beauty/Physical Symmetry risk (Personalized and Generalized), health risk (physical, mental, and social), power risk (king child) and economic risk (direct and opportunity-costs). Childbearing as Risk is derived as the core category. Furthermore, institutionalization of better life with few children, changes in mothering role, social recognition of having few number of children, reduction of familial social support/pressure, generational lessons, secularization of childbearing, distrust to pro-natal policies, and medical and media’s reconstruction of low-fertility, act as underlying facilitating factors. Finally, consequences of low fertility are briefly discussed.