The role of the Coronavirus pandemic on childbearing intentions in Iranian women based on path analysis: A cross-sectional study.

Abstract

The Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) may lead to couples not being physically and mentally ready to assume a parenting role. Given the changes in reproductive behaviors and the lack of accurate information about childbearing factors during the Coronavirus pandemic, this study was conducted to investigate the role of the COVID-19 pandemic in Iranian couples' childbearing intentions based on the theory of planned behavior model. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 400 married Iranian women from July to October 2020 using official online popular social networks. Data were collected using a demographic checklist and the researcher-made questionnaire, which was designed based on the main constructs of the planned behavior model. Testing the indirect relationships of the mediation model effect showed a positive relationship between knowledge (β = 0.226, p 0.001) and subjective norms (β = 0.155, p = 0.001) about COVID-19. Anxiety about COVID-19 mediated the relationship of knowledge (β = 0.105, p = 0.009), attitude (β = -0.125, p = 0.002), subjective norms (β = 0.238, p 0.001), and perceived behavioral control (β = 0.513, p 0.001) about COVID-19 with childbearing intentions. The results showed that COVID-19-induced anxiety can affect the relationship between the components of the theory of planned behavior model and childbearing intentions. Therefore, it is suggested that by designing appropriate interventions through anxiety-reducing and relaxation techniques, a fundamental step can be taken in increasing childbearing desires.