The Role of Television Programs in Encouraging Families to Have Children: A Scoping Review Study

Background: Population and its dimensions are the central point of any social system, and decreasing the fertility rate has become a serious problem in societies.Television may affect fertility by providing information about family planning services or changing the value of women's time.This review study examined the role of television in encouraging families to have children. Methods:The present scoping review assessed articles related to the role of television programs in childbearing and was conducted in 2024.The articles were searched in English-language databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus, using keywords related to television programs and childbearing.Two researchers independently evaluated the titles, abstracts, and full texts of the papers.Study selection was based on inclusion and exclusion criteria.Data extraction was performed manually by a single reviewer using Excel and subsequently verified by another reviewer.Results: A total of 830 articles were identified, with 13 selected for final data extraction after removing duplicates and applying screening criteria.The oldest and newest studies were conducted in 1987 and 2023, respectively, with the majority (23%) conducted in 2023, mainly in the US and India.The type of television programs to encourage families to have children was divided into 5 groups: Movies, news, documentaries, expert programs, and advertising programs. Conclusion:The analysis of studies indicated that appropriate television programs can positively inform and educate families about having children.It is recommended that content producers create programs focused on childbearing and its benefits, and in this regard, cooperation with psychologists, sociologists, and family experts is essential.