Factors Influencing the Reproductive Intentions of Women and Men in Partnerships

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F00216208%3A11310%2F25%3A10503465" target="_blank" >RIV/00216208:11310/25:10503465 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

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DOI - Digital Object Identifier

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Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Factors Influencing the Reproductive Intentions of Women and Men in Partnerships

Original language description

The current demographic changes in many European countries, characterised by declining fertility rates and increasing uncertainty in family decision-making, call for a deeper analysis of the determinants of fertility intentions. This study examines the factors influencing the fertility intentions of women and men in partnerships in Czechia and Poland, focusing on the impact of socio-economic conditions, value orientations and perceived uncertainty on individual reproductive strategies.The theoretical framework of the study is based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour (Ajzen, 1991) and the Traits-Desires-Intentions-Behaviour model (Miller, 2011), which provide robust analytical tools for interpreting the mechanisms of reproductive decision-making. The analysis is based on data from the Generations and Gender Survey (GGS-II) for Czechia and Poland, which allows for a systematic comparison between the two countries. Factor analysis is used to identify key dimensions of uncertainty, value orientations and socio-economic characteristics, which are then modelled using multinomial logistic regression. The analysis focuses on the likelihood of different reproductive strategies, ranging from low (no or one child) to high (three or more children), with the two-child model serving as the reference category.A comparative approach to the Czech Republic and Poland is methodologically justified, given their some shared historical and geopolitical experiences, but significant differences in family policy, religiosity and socio-economic conditions. While the Czech Republic is characterised by a higher degree of secularisation and more progressive family policies, Poland remains deeply rooted in Catholic values and more conservative family norms, which may significantly shape individual reproductive aspirations.Preliminary results suggest that perceived insecurity, particularly economic and relationship insecurity, significantly reduces the likelihood of planning children in both countries, although to different degrees. In the Czech context, reproductive strategies appear to be more flexible and responsive to individual socio-economic conditions, whereas in Poland cultural and normative factors play a dominant role. The findings also point to the importance of education - the better educated are more likely to plan their families according to the normative two-child model, while younger cohorts show greater uncertainty.This study provides new insights into the dynamics of reproductive decision-making in times of increasing uncertainty and contributes to the broader debate on the effectiveness of family policies in the Central European region. The findings can serve as a basis for the development of targeted demographic strategies aimed at supporting the realisation of reproductive aspirations.

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

O - Miscellaneous

CEP classification

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OECD FORD branch

50402 - Demography

Project

<a href="/en/project/LM2024074" target="_blank" >LM2024074: Czech National Cluster for Family Research</a><br>

Continuities

P - Projekt vyzkumu a vyvoje financovany z verejnych zdroju (s odkazem do CEP)<br>S - Specificky vyzkum na vysokych skolach

Publication year

2025

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů