Factors Affecting the Age of First Pregnancy in Couples of Birjand City (Iran)

The age of first pregnancy can have important effects on the rate of social changes, periodic fertility rates, and economic issues. In this study, variables affecting the age of first pregnancy, were investigated in couples of Birjand city.
This 4-year retrospective cohort study, was conducted in 2015 on 180 couples of Birjand city, who were contracted marriage in 2011. The data collection tool was a checklist consisting of questions, such as birth date of the first child (if they had children), the birth year of the woman and the man, the education of the woman and the man, the occupation of the woman and the man (before and after the marriage), and so on. Data were analyzed using Cox regression method.
57.2% of the respondents had children and the rest were excluded. The mean age of the mother at the time of birth of the first child was 24.72±4.19. Cox regression analysis showed that among the studied variables, man's age at marriage, man's place of birth, insurance, man's occupation, place of residence, and woman’s occupation (before marriage) can be the variables affecting the age of first pregnancy.
According to the results of the present study, pregnancy at young ages mostly occurs in women who are at the lower socioeconomic level. Therefore, it is suggested that family planning policies should be implemented more purposefully and more focused on medium to high socioeconomic levels.