FACTORS AFFECTING ATTITUDES TO FERTILITY IN HAMEDAN IN 2024: A CROSS-SECTIONAL ANALYTICAL STUDY

Background & Aim: Research indicates that fertility is shaped by a confluence of individual preferences and broader societal values, cultural contexts, and normative frameworks.Given the importance of understanding childbearing patterns and their societal implications, this study seeks to identify the factors affecting attitudes toward fertility in Hamedan in 2024.Materials & Methods: This cross-sectional analytical study was conducted among 290 women, either childless or with one child, receiving care from comprehensive health centers in Hamedan province during the years 1402-1403 (2023-2024).A convenience sampling method was employed, and eligible participants completed questionnaires.The collected data were subsequently analyzed using Stata version 13 software, with a significance level set at p<0.05. Results:The mean (standard deviation) age of the participants in the study was 33.27 (6.73) years, and the mean fertility attitude score was 72.93 (15.68).To control the potential influence of confounding variables on the fertility attitude score, a multivariate linear regression analysis was conducted.The findings from the multivariate analysis indicated that the spouse's age (p=0.002,=0.80), having children compared to not having children (p<0.001,=7.86),Turkish ethnicity versus Fars (p=0.008,=4.79), and the desire to have more children in the future versus those who did not desire to have any children (p<0.001) had a positive and significant relationship with the attitude towards childbearing, and general health status (p=0.02,=-0.28) and government incentives (p=0.02) had a negative and significant relationship with the attitude towards childbearing.Discussion: As multiple factors influence women's attitudes towards childbearing, the findings of this study provide valuable insights for the development of targeted interventions and policies aimed at fostering informed reproductive choices.