Factors associated with future fertility intentions among Korean women of childbearing age in Seoul: a cross-sectional study.
Thi Thanh Lan Nguyen, Van Cuong Nguyen
PMID 39756473WHAT IT FOUND
Among 496 women in Seoul, 25.6% intended future children.
Intention was associated with working 41-50 hours weekly, believing children after marriage are necessary, children strengthen relationships, or motherhood is sacred. Never receiving sexual education was associated with lower intention.
Key findings
01Among 496 women aged 26 to 40 years in Seoul, the future fertility intention rate was 25.6%.
02In the multivariate model, women working 41 to 50 hours per week had 2.49 times higher odds of future fertility intention than women working 20 hours or less per week.
03Believing that children are necessary after marriage, that children strengthen a couple's relationship, and that motherhood is sacred were associated with higher odds of future fertility intention, with odds ratios of 3.92, 6.45, and 2.24 compared with contrary views.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study looked at one point in time, so it cannot show what caused fertility intentions. It used existing survey data from Seoul only, so results may not apply to all Korean women. Fertility intention was measured with one yes/no question, which may not capture how strongly women wanted children. Some women did not report employment status, and health-related factors such as chronic conditions, disability, smoking, alcohol use, physical activity, and social activities were not measured. Participants were asked sensitive views on marriage, childbearing, and gender inequality, and some may have been reluctant to answer accurately.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflict of interest, and no funding was reported.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these associations as proof that longer work hours, sexual education, or attitudes will change fertility intentions. The study did not test any intervention, used a single cross-sectional survey, and was limited to women in Seoul.