Childlessness in Iran: Findings and Solutions

The present study focuses primarily on childlessness which is recognized as one of the most important demographic characteristics associated with fertility and childbearing patterns in modern family and contemporary world. Although childlessness existed in the past, it is growing fast in the contemporary societies in the 21st century and its growth is projected to continue, leading to an increasing proportion of childless couples in future. The literature review indicates that childlessness has not yet been given sufficient attention in the existing literature in Iran. The present research sits amongst the first studies at which not only childlessness is given central focus and specific attention, but also both people ‘having no child’ and people ‘wanting no child’ are simultaneously taken into account. According to the results of this study, childlessness still remains as an insignificant observation in Iran: not only there is almost no preference for childlessness, but also the proportion of couples with no child is low. However, the results also show some concerns and challenges associated with a high level of age threshold for childlessness that can substantially increase the probability of biological childlessness due to postponing childbearing to older ages. In conclusion, the results of this study support the fact that the prospect of childlessness pattern in Iran will overwhelmingly depend on the existence and extent of adequate planning and comprehensive policies in the macro level of “state and government” particularly regarding job opportunities and economic openness in order to facilitate marriage and childbearing.