Childlessness and One-Child Intention and Ideal in Tehran

Childlessness and one-child style in the world have been deep and significant consequences of rapid fertility decline in the 20th century that has brought several challenges. This study investigated the prevalence of childless and one-child families and the factors affecting them in Tehran city. The statistical population of this survey included the married people of Tehran city, among of which 1273 married men and women were selected through multi-stage cluster sampling. The analysis was done using SPSS software and binary logistic regression. There have been 2.4% childlessness ideal, 16.5% one-child ideal, 4.1% childlessness intention, and 24.9% one-child intention. The childlessness and one-child ideal and intention are affected by a set of contextual, attitudinal, structural, and marital variables. The childlessness ideal is affected significantly by egalitarian attitudes and decreased feeling of security and childlessness intention is significantly affected by egalitarian attitudes, decreased feeling of security and decreased marital happiness. One-child ideal is significantly more reported among men and young people and people of higher income, lower religiosity, egalitarian gender attitudes and a lower feeling of security. One-child intention is reported significantly more among men, young people, people of having higher degrees, lower religiosity, egalitarian gender attitudes, and lower feeling of security. Generally, it can be said that childlessness intention and ideal are not common and one-child intention and ideal were more common. Childlessness and one-child intention are more than childlessness and one-child ideal. The attitudinal variables have been more effective than other factors. Taking proper policies will reduce the gap between the intention and the ideal of childbearing and will increase fertility.