Factors Influencing Childbearing Intentions in the Context of Declining Global Fertility Rates: A Scoping Review

Introduction Global fertility decline has emerged as a significant demographic challenge, particularly in developing countries, leading to population aging, workforce reduction, and slower economic growth. However, existing evidence lacks a comprehensive synthesis that integrates these multifactorial influences within the global context of fertility decline. This review aims to investigate the multifaceted factors influencing childbearing intentions among couples within the broader context of declining fertility rates, focusing on key individual, demographic, cultural, social, economic, and policy-related factors of reproductive decisions. Methods A scoping review was conducted following PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Comprehensive searches were performed in PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar for studies published between January 2010 and December 2023 that investigated factors associated with childbearing intentions. Fifty studies met the inclusion criteria. Results Findings reveal that individual, demographic, cultural, social, health-related, economic, insurance-related, and governmental factors significantly affect childbearing intentions. Discussion Age, education, and personal attitudes influence fertility intentions, while marital stability and family support strengthen the inclination to have children. Cultural norms shape preferences for larger families, and social support networks further contribute to fertility decisions. Economic stability remains a crucial determinant, as high child costs and financial insecurity often lead to postponing childbearing. Access to healthcare, health insurance, and maternity benefits also influences these decisions. Government policies promoting childbearing have shown mixed effectiveness, highlighting the need for their ongoing review and reform. Conclusion This review highlights the multifaceted determinants of childbearing intentions and underscores the importance of targeted interventions to address barriers and promote supportive family policies.