The effect of security feeling on behavior, ideal and childbearing intentions in Tehran

Due to persistence of fertility below the replacement level and the need to identify relevant factors, this article focuses on the impact of security feeling on the number of children ever born, ideal, intention, and intending to have another child. Using data from married lifestyle survey, 1189 married men and women in Tehran, in which, the woman with less than 50 years old and fertile were selected in a multi-stage clustering sampling method and used in the final analysis. The results showed that an average ideal children number in the respondents was more than two children (2.13%), the intended children number 1.91%, the number children ever born was less than the replacement level (1.41%) while 36.9% intended to have another child. There was a significant relationship between the feeling of security and the number of children ever born, ideal and intention. Logistic regression models have shown a significant effect of the feeling of security on childlessness or having one and two children. Policy suggestions in order to increase childbearing are based on a suitable context to reduce risky situations and increase the feeling of security in various economic, public, judicial and political domains, including job security and adequate income, political stability and immunity from any offense.