Fertility Behavior and its Influencing Factors in Female Employees of Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Background aim: In Iran, the fertility rate showed a significant decrease from 6.08 in 1976 to 1.2 in 2011. This pattern will lead to population reduction during 2041-2046. Women’s employment is one of the factors which may affect fertility behavior. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the fertility behavior and its influencing factors in female employees of Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the statistical population was all married female employees of Tehran University of Medical Sciences. The Census method was used, and 116 subjects were included in the study. The data collection tool was a self-structured questionnaire. Variables influencing fertility behavior were collected and the influence of each was investigated. Data were analyzed by SPSS (version 16). Results: The findings showed that the level of education plays an important role in determining fertility behavior. So that a significant relationship was found between the level of education and all indicators of reproductive behavior, including the time interval between marriage and the first childbearing (P=0.008), the ideal number of children (P=0.007), the age gap between children (P=0.001) and age at the time of marriage (P=0.001). Also, income level, employment status, housing status, sexual preference, fear of childbearing and government facilities were other factors influencing fertility behavior (P 0.05). Conclusion: The obtained results showed that the educational status of individuals, job security and the existence of facilities in the administrative system to support childbearing for female employees are effective in their fertility behavior. It is essential to consider these factors in order to promote fertility intention.