Gender attitudes, women's intra‐household decision‐making power, and fertility intentions

Abstract Objective This study examined how gender attitudes and women's intra‐household decision‐making power interact to shape fertility intentions in China, focusing on the mechanisms that may mitigate the negative link between egalitarian gender attitudes and fertility intentions. Background China continues to face an extremely low fertility rate despite the relaxation of family planning policies. Progressive gender attitudes among women contrast with persistent traditional household roles, creating a gap between gender ideals and lived realities. Method Using data from the 2017 China General Social Survey, the study analyzed a sample of 669 married women of childbearing age. A four‐step hierarchical linear regression model was used to incorporate control variables, gender attitudes, decision‐making power, and their interaction. Results Egalitarian gender attitudes were significantly associated with lower fertility intentions. However, this negative relationship was weakened when women had greater decision‐making power within the household. The moderating effect was especially pronounced among urban, highly educated, employed women, as well as those who do more housework and those under 42 years old. Conclusion The study highlights that progressive gender attitudes are linked to lower fertility intentions in China. Yet, increased household empowerment can buffer this negative relationship, highlighting the importance of aligning gender ideals with everyday practices. Implications Enhancing women's decision‐making power within households could help bridge the gap between progressive gender ideals and reality, thus boosting fertility intentions. Fertility‐boosting policies should aim to further reduce this gap and promote women's autonomy in family matters.