Dear Editor,
Fertility rate in Iran has declined, and population policies are aimed at increasing it. Drawing on data from the 2017 Marriage Survey conducted by Iran’s Civil Registration Organization, this study finds that 98% of young individuals planning to marry intend to have children, with only 2% expressing no desire for parenthood. Approximately 60% plan to have their first child within the first two years of marriage, and 78% aspire to have two children. Reluctance to have children is slightly higher in Tehran and Rasht (5%) and among those with higher education and socioeconomic status, though these differences are not statistically significant due to the low prevalence. The findings underscore the enduring cultural value of family and childbearing in Iran, indicating that the second demographic transition, unlike in Western countries, is accompanied by minimal inclination toward childless families. The decline in fertility rates in Iran is primarily linked to inadequate economic and social conditions rather than a cultural shift away from desiring children. Population policies should prioritize creating favorable conditions to enable young people to realize their childbearing aspirations. A proposed slogan for Iran’s population policy is encapsulated in three statements:
Young people are the vanguard of demographic change;
Young Iranians are eager to have children;
Support young couples in the early years of marriage and with their first child...