The Relationship between Sex Roles and Childbearing Motivation in Fertile Women, Iran

This study was conducted to determine the relationship between sex role and women's childbearing motivation. In this study 841 married female participants lived in urban society of Mashhad were recruited based on a multistage sampling from a variety of settings. Data was gathered using Childbearing Questionnaire (CBQ) and brief form of Bem sex role questionnaire. Analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient, multiple regression test and independent t-test. Feminine sex role was in significant relationship with positive childbearing motivation (p=.001). Masculine sex role have no relationship with both childbearing motivations. ANOVA showed a difference between the motivations in four groups of participants divided based on sex role scores. LSD test shows that positive motivation in android (p=.013) and masculine (p=.012) groups were significantly less than feminine group. Negative childbearing motivations in feminine group was less than in UN-differentiate group (p=.014). Multiple regression analysis show that positive motivation was in relationship with the feminine sex role and reverse relationship with marriage age. Reproductive health policy makers and family planning counselors can apply study findings in order to plan perfect programs to direct proper fertility behaviors in the society.