Intention to have a third child among millennial parents with two children in eastern China: A cross-sectional survey.
Fen Xu, Shen-Jun Jiang, Pan-Pan Ge and 2 others
PMID 38757435WHAT IT FOUND
Only 105 of 520 Chinese parents with two children intended a third child.
Parents over 30 were more likely to intend one. Public servants were less likely than housewives or househusbands. Nurses can ask about time and age or health.
Key findings
01Only 105 of 520 parents intended to have a third child.
02Parents over 30 had 2.47 times the odds of intending a third child compared with parents 30 and under.
03Having no time to take care of children was the most common reported barrier (228 participants, 43.8%).
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The sample was a convenience sample from hospitals in one relatively wealthy city in eastern China, so it may not represent other regions. Most participants were women, because men often declined as they thought it was their wife's business. The study was cross-sectional, so it can show associations but cannot prove that age, employment status, barriers, or desired policies cause fertility intention. The study did not ask the age of the participants' two existing children, which may affect the decision to have a third child.
Declared interests
The work was funded by the Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province and a Zhejiang Traditional Chinese Medicine Science and Technology Program. The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that older age, being a housewife or househusband, or wanting medical assistance causes a third-child intention. This is a cross-sectional survey of self-reported intention, and the study did not test any nursing, medical, or policy intervention.