Factors that influence fertility intentions of Chinese youth: a discussion of issues raised by Volsche and Jankowiak's "Chinese women's autonomy: parenthood as a choice"

Abstract

In recent decades, China's childbearing-age young people's fertility intentions and attitudes have changed, influenced by widespread social change and general improvement of women's status. At the same time, research on intentions concerning fertility has been expanding. Volsche and Jankowiak's article, "Chinese women's autonomy: parenthood as a choice" provides a new discussion concerning college students' preferences about intended fertility and contrasts the culture of filial piety culture with new interest in personal choice about fertility. This discussion cites many sources in current research literature to their review through examining changes in the dimensions of changes in Chinese childbearing age, young people's intention concerning fertility, their ideal number of children, gender preference, and ideals about time for first birth and between pregnancies, as well as other related factors influencing their ideas about fertility.