Anxiety and suspension of childbearing in the context of social changes: A qualitative study

Objective(s):Childbearing is an indicator of sustainable development for countries that have a low level of succession.Since fertility in Iran has reached below the replacement level, it seems necessary to analyze and discover the causes of childlessness in order to improve it by removing the obstacles.Considering the decreasing trend of fertility in Fars province, this article seeks to analyze the cultural factors related to this phenomenon among married men and women.Methods: A qualitative study conducted in Fars province in 2023.The participants were married men and women without or with one child, and the data were collected using a semi-structured interviews.Data analysis was done by grounded theory method.Results: The data analysis showed that the participants were facing anxiety and suspense in having children.This means that having children was considered a process accompanied by fear and anxiety, and for this reason, despite the desire to have children, this process remains in a state of suspension.The categories of this anxiety and suspense were: individualism (the growth of individual values among couples), cultural reflection (a different look at culture and the transformation of cultural values), risk perception (worry about living in a risky society) and gender inequality (the inequality of tasks between men and women). Conclusion:Childbearing in Iran's transitioning society is complex and related to multiple social and cultural implications.Although policymaking is effective on economic dimensions, it seems that more complex social and cultural contexts are involved, which require the attention of policymakers.