TITLE:
Fertility Values among Women of Childbearing Age in Hunan Province, China: A Cross-Sectional Study
AUTHORS:
Si Qin, Jing Yue, Yang Luo
KEYWORDS:
Fertility Values, Positive Values, Negative Values, Three-Child Policy
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Reproductive Sciences,
Vol.11 No.3,
August
24,
2023
ABSTRACT: Background: China is facing with a crisis of the aging population. After the
implementation of the latest fertility policy, the research on fertility
related issues is urgent. Objective: The objective of this
study is to explore the fertility values among women of childbearing age and the socio-demographic factors associated with it under the background of
three-child policy, which is helpful to cope
with the aging of the population. Methods: This
study was conducted among 383 women of childbearing age who met the inclusion
criteria using a general information questionnaire and the fertility values
questionnaire from May to August 2021 in Hunan Province, China. Data were
collected on the women’s socio-demographic
characteristics and fertility values. The descriptive statistics, t-test
and analysis of variance were used for data analysis. Results: The total mean score of the positive values was 43.55 ±
10.10, and that of the negative values was 50.87 ± 13.85. There were
significant differences in the scores of the overall positive and negative
values, as well as scores of each dimension (p The item mean score of the overall negative values (3.38 ± 0.93)
was higher than that of the overall positive values (2.90 ± 0.67). Among the positive values, “emotional
value” (4.26 ± 0.93) scored the highest, while “worrying about life changes”
(3.88 ± 1.10) scored the highest among the negative values. There were
significant differences in both the positive and negative values in terms of
age, marital status, and “only-child” women or not (p Conclusion: The fertility values among women of childbearing age in Hunan Province were
relatively negative, especially, excessive worries about life change since
having a child, which may lead to further declines in fertility levels.
Relevant support measures are urgently needed from the government to adapt to
the three-child policy.