Relationship between Chinese Women’s Childhood Family Background and their Fertility Intentions under Different Policy Conditions

Fertility Intentions for a Second Child and Their Influencing Factors in Contemporary China

“…Another breakthrough result in this study is that the larger the number of siblings, the stronger the intention to have a second child. Although the role of siblings has been discussed previously in the literature ( Lan, 2021 ; Zhang C. et al, 2021 ), the results of the machine-learning model show that it ranks second and is higher than health, education, and family income. At the same time, as the current literature has been lacking a regional comparison, this paper further confirms that district has an impact on second-child fertility intentions.…”

“…Scholars have also attempted to focus their research on one perspective. Economic factors are the focus of current research, with Lan (2021) demonstrating that women with better socio-economic status and those who were born into better-off families show a relatively strong desire to have children, and Shen and Jiang (2020) investigating highly educated women and finding that their fertility choices are the result of the intersection of state policy interventions and career choices. Urban-rural differences have captured the attention of many scholars as well.…”

“…The influence of siblings has also intrigued scholars, and the number of siblings has been shown a significant predictor of women’s fertility intentions ( Zhang C. et al, 2021 ). The loneliness experienced by only children during childhood and adulthood leads most of them to believe that having siblings is better than being single ( Lan, 2021 ). However, Zhang L. et al (2021) argue that sibship size may also have negative direct effect presumably due to sibling competition for intergenerational support.…”

Expectations of Improvement of Socioeconomic Status Throughout the Life Course as a Component for Promoting Fertility Intentions

“…SES influences fertility intentions at various stages of an individual’s life course. During childhood, an individual’s family status can shape fertility intentions through factors such as marriage conceptions, childbearing practices, and other aspects ( 5 – 6 ). In adulthood, SES can directly affect an individual’s fertility intentions by determining their ability to raise children based on their education level, income, and occupation ( 7 – 8 ).…”

“…On one hand, the childhood family’s SES directly affects an individual’s growth process, potentially impacting their development into adulthood. Fertility intentions are promoted through the accumulation of economic advantages ( 6 , 11 ); in other words, families with higher SES provide a favorable environment for growth and education, thereby enhancing individuals’ human and social capital. As a result, these individuals gain socioeconomic advantages in adulthood, allowing them to acquire more resources and demonstrate greater resilience when faced with reproductive tasks ( 12 ).…”