Associations between the COVID-19 pandemic and women’s fertility intentions: a multi-country, cross-sectional (I-SHARE) study

Public Deposited
Analytics

Downloadable Content

Download PDF
Request Version for Screen Reader
Creator
  • Zhao, Min
    • Other Affiliation: Xi’an Jiaotong University Second Affiliated Hospital
  • O'Hara, Caitlin Alsandria
    • Other Affiliation: National University Hospital
  • Sahril, Norhafizah Bte
    • Other Affiliation: Ministry of Health Malaysia
  • Liu, Huijun
    • Other Affiliation: Xi’an Jiaotong University
  • Pei, Kaiyan
    • Other Affiliation: National Research Institute for Family Planning
  • Ivanova, Olena
    • Other Affiliation: University of Munich
  • Larsson, Elin C.
    • Other Affiliation: Karolinska Institute
  • Shamu, Simukai
    • Other Affiliation: Health Systems Strengthening
  • Kpokiri, Eneyi
    • Other Affiliation: London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
  • Cleeve, Amanda
    • Other Affiliation: Karolinska Institute
  • Tucker, Joseph D.
    • Affiliation: School of Medicine
  • Michielsen, Kristien
    • Other Affiliation: Ghent University
  • Zhang, Wei-Hong
    • Other Affiliation: Ghent University
Abstract
  • Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic, together with the subsequent social distancing measures, could lead to shifts in family and fertility planning. This study aimed to explore the associations between the COVID-19 pandemic and changes in fertility intentions among an international sample of reproductive-aged women. Methods A multi-country, cross-sectional study based on data from 10 672 women aged 18–49 years who participated in the International Sexual Health And REproductive Health (I-SHARE) study, which organised an international online survey between July 2020 and February 2021. Factors associated with changes in fertility intentions were explored using multinomial probit regression models. Cluster-robust standard errors were used to calculate model parameters. Results Of 10 672 included reproductive-aged women, 14.4% reported changing their fertility intentions due to the pandemic, with 10.2% postponement and 4.2% acceleration. Women who had ever been isolated/quarantined were more likely to postpone their fertility intentions (adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=1.41; 95% CI 1.18 to 1.69) compared with those who had not; women who lived with a steady partner were more likely to want children sooner (AOR=1.57; 95% CI 1.10 to 2.23) compared with those who did not; and those who reported a higher frequency of getting angry, feeling frustrated, or worrying about their finances were more likely to postpone their fertility intentions. The main findings were robust in the sensitivity analyses. Conclusions Most women who changed fertility intentions because of the pandemic have postponed intentions to expand their families. The pandemic-induced exposures were associated with these postponements.
Date of publication
Keyword
DOI
Identifier
Resource type
  • Article
Journal title
  • BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health
Language
  • English
ISSN
  • 2515-2009
  • 2515-1991

Relations

Parents:

This work has no parents.

In Collection:

Items

Thumbnail Title Date Uploaded Visibility Actions
file details bmjsrh-2023-201819.full.pdf 2023-11-06 Public Download