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

Abstract

The 33rd World Population Day focuses on the theme, “A World of 8 Billion: Toward a Resilient Future for All — Harnessing Opportunities and Ensuring Rights and Choices for All.” As the global population approaches 8 billion, the United Nations urges individuals to consider the implications for the future. The life course paradigm emphasizes that past, present, and future experiences are interconnected and mutually reinforcing, with individuals’ expectations and confidence in the future being influenced by previous and current behaviors and serving as important determinants of current decision-making (1). Within the context of an aging global population, childbearing represents the starting point and significant driver of a nation’s demographic development and structure. It is one of the most critical decisions in an individual’s life and involves long-term family planning. Fertility intentions, one of the key determinants of birth rates and demand for reproductive health services, are typically measured by the desired number of children (2). These intentions reflect sociocultural norms surrounding fertility and individuals’ perceptions of childbearing, often employed to summarize group differences in fertility conceptions and measure overall fertility levels. Fertility intentions are influenced not only by individuals’ current situation and family circumstances but also by their life course experiences and expectations for the future life course (3). Socioeconomic status (SES) serves as a multifaceted index encompassing factors such as income, occupation, and education. Research has identified SES as one of the main factors affecting fertility (4). An individual’s family SES during childhood, their current SES, and expectations for future SES can all impact their fertility intentions. THE IMPACT OF SES THROUGHOUT THE LIFE COURSE ON FERTILITY INTENTIONS