Decoding short-term fertility intentions: exploring the nexus of gender equality and societal factors in a comparative EU gender regimes analysis

Short-term fertility intentions reflect unmet gender-mediated needs and serve as an early indicator of latent potential for social and political mobilization. Our findings highlight the influence of gender regimes on reproductive decision-making and support policies that address structural inequalities, especially in employment and care, to enable the realization of reproductive desires across heterogeneous socioeconomic contexts.