The relationship between motivation for having children and sociodemographic and obstetric characteristics: a cross-sectional study

TL;DR

This study explores how factors like age, education, and employment influence women's motivation to have children.

Contribution

The study identifies psychosocial factors, such as employment and spousal compatibility, as significant influences on reproductive motivation.

Findings

Women's employment status and spousal compatibility significantly affect motivation to have children.

Age, education level, income, and marriage duration correlate with the desire for children.

Psychosocial factors play a critical role alongside sociodemographic and obstetric characteristics in reproductive motivation.

Abstract

This study aims to examine the relationships between motivation for having children and sociodemographic and obstetric characteristics.

This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted between February 2025 and March 2025. Data were collected via the “Personal Information Form” and the “Motivations for Having Children Scale”. The data of 185 women who participated in the study were analyzed, and the statistical significance level was accepted as p < 0.05.

The mean age of the women who participated in the study was 32.94 ± 7.63 years; 65.4% were university graduates, and 42.2% wanted to have children. A significant correlation was found between the desire for children and age, education level, income level, social support status and duration of marriage (p < 0.05). In the present study, 27.6% of the women had one pregnancy, 31.4% had living children, and a relationship was found between the number of pregnancies, the number of living children and the time elapsed since the last pregnancy. In this study, there was no significant difference between the total score of the Motivation to Have Children Scale and age, educational level, income level, or duration of marriage (p > 0.05), whereas a significant difference was found between employment status and spousal compatibility (p < 0.05). The mean total score of the Motivation to Have Children Scale was calculated as 92.38 ± 26.31.

According to the findings of the study, it was determined that women’s employment status and spousal adjustment affected women’s motivation to have children. In this direction, it is thought that psychosocial factors, in addition to sociodemographic and obstetric characteristics, will play a critical role in determining reproductive motivations. Understanding these factors may help reproductive health professionals and policymakers develop interventions for women’s motivation to have children and support family planning efforts in different social contexts.