The Effect of Social Network Characteristics on women's Fertility in Urban Areas of Bushehr Province

The present study investigates the effect of social network characteristics on women's fertility. In this regard, 600 ever-married women in urban areas of Bushehr province were selected by multi-stage cluster sampling method and to measure the social network Characteristics, this study used a combination of the name-generator approach and exchange approach. The results showed that by increasing the amount of network members' communications - with the control of the variables age, marriage age, education, and employment status - the fertility of women studied is increasing. Also, increasing the time interval between network members and increasing the share of friends and colleagues has a negative effect on women's fertility and increasing the share of nuclear family has a positive effect on women's fertility. Regarding the changes that are taking place in the new social, in the context of social networks, make culture and awareness in the direction maintaining solid and stable social links between members of social networks has a determinative influence on fertility.