Attitudes toward reproduction in a nonpatient population

Abstract

Objective: A basic question to be answered in an attempt to understand human reproductive behavior as it manifests itself in clinical practice is, why do people want to have children?

Study design: A psychometric instrument for the assessment of reproductive attitudes was developed. A total of 746 men and women at 20, 30, and 40 years of age, who were randomly selected from a nonpatient population, answered. Data were analyzed by factor analysis. Reproductive profiles were constructed.

Results: The two most important factors in both sexes were "children as existential satisfaction" and "children as lack of freedom," indicating a basic conflict. The third most important factor in both sexes was "the importance of one's own parents as examples in parenthood," supporting earlier findings that reproductive conflicts are transmitted from one generation to another. Reproductive profiles were uniform in the different age groups.

Conclusion: The element of ambivalence may be a clue to a deeper understanding of human reproductive behavior.