Ethnic Preferences for Childbearing in Iran

This research paper primarily aims to examine the preferences for childbearing among selected ethnic groups in Iran. The ethnic groups included in this study comprise of Kurd, Gilak, Lor, Lak, Mazani, Turk, and Turkaman. The research findings highlight both similarities and disparities on childbearing desires across different ethnic groups. On the one hand, the most visible similarities relate to the fact that the childlessness is almost undesirable for all ethnic groups, and the majority of them prefer the two-child pattern of childbearing.  On the other hand, the disparities across the ethnic groups exist predominantly in the pattern of desires for ‘3 children and more’. In sum, these research findings confirm the underlying conclusion that none of the independent variables even tertiary education could not lead to an ethnic convergence towards preferences for high childbearing (that is, the desire for having 3 children and more), suggesting that ethnicity and ethnic belonging still tend to play a substantially important role in the preferences for childbearing.