From floods to cyclones: Family structure and fertility preferences across climate-exposed regions of Bangladesh

Bangladesh experiences frequent extreme weather events (EWEs) that are associated with various dimensions of human life, including fertility preferences. This study examines associations among EWEs, family structure (nuclear vs. joint families), and fertility preferences in two climatically distinct regions of Bangladesh. The research was conducted in Chattogram district (cyclone-exposed) and Sunamganj district (flood-exposed), with two villages selected from each district based on high vulnerability to their respective EWEs. Data were collected through structured questionnaires administered to 414 married women of reproductive age (15-49 years) with at least one child, supplemented by 17 in-depth interviews exploring underlying motivations and experiences. Results show significant differences in fertility preferences between nuclear and joint family structures across both climate-vulnerable areas. Women in nuclear families expressed higher fertility preferences compared to those in joint families, with this pattern more pronounced in flood-exposed area (Sunamganj) than cyclone-exposed area (Chattogram). Qualitative findings indicate that family structure shows relationships with adaptive strategies for EWEs. Multiple factors appeared linked to fertility preferences across different family types, including perceived advantages of larger families for disaster coping, intergenerational support systems, spatial constraints, availability of adult male members, contraceptive use, and access to government/NGO assistance. These findings suggest that family structure represents an important but underexplored variable in understanding climate-fertility associations in vulnerable regions.