Factors influencing women’s fertility intentions in the context of low fertility: a review of domestic literature and research prospects
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Factors influencing women’s fertility intentions in the context of low fertility: a review of domestic literature and research prospects

Siyu Chen 1*
1 School of Economics and Management, Southwest Petroleum University
*Corresponding author: 2819104541@qq.com
Published on 3 September 2025
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ASBR Vol.16 Issue 7
ISSN (Print): 2753-7110
ISSN (Online): 2753-7102
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Abstract

To help improve China’s current low fertility situation and mitigate the accelerated pace of population aging, this paper investigates the factors influencing women’s fertility intentions in the context of low fertility. Drawing on existing domestic empirical studies and data, it systematically analyzes—through a sociological lens—how social, familial, individual, and policy factors affect women’s fertility intentions and shape their fertility decision-making, thereby providing a scientific basis for the formulation and adjustment of governmental fertility policies. From the perspectives of policy, economy, and socioculture, the paper puts forward countermeasures and recommendations with potential for further development, aiming to promote proactive childbearing among women, boost China’s fertility rate, and offer reference points for addressing severe population aging and related issues.

Keywords:

Low fertility, women’s fertility intentions, influencing factors, policy recommendations

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Chen,S. (2025). Factors influencing women’s fertility intentions in the context of low fertility: a review of domestic literature and research prospects. Advances in Social Behavior Research,16(7),73-79.

References

[1]. Xing, C. G. (2020). “Wanting to give birth” yet “not wanting to give birth”: An exploratory study on the contradictory fertility attitudes of childless youth.China Youth Research, (7), 54–61.

[2]. Zhang, R., & Li, Y. (2025). Swing-type fertility intentions: An analysis of the decision-making logic and mechanisms of childbearing among women of childbearing age under emotional tension.China Youth Research, (3), 40–49.

[3]. Yu, X., & Liang, J. N. (2021). Fertility intentions of China’s only-child women: From the perspective of intergenerational transmission.Zhejiang Social Sciences, (11), 80–89, 97, 158–159.

[4]. Liang, S. Y., Ji, Y., & Li, Y. R. (2025). An analysis of the factors influencing fertility intentions of women of childbearing age and their families based on grounded theory.China Health Education, 41(3), 233–237.

[5]. Jia, Z. K. (2009). Changes in fertility intentions of Chinese residents after the 1950s.Population and Economy, (4), 24–28, 33.

[6]. Hou, J. W., Huang, S. L., & Xin, Z. Q. (2014). Changes in China’s population fertility intentions: 1980–2011.Chinese Social Sciences, (4), 78–97, 206.

[7]. Ren, Y., & Jin, Y. (2024). The influence of family factors on residents’ fertility intentions and policy implications.Journal of Shandong Women’s University, (4), 120–132.

[8]. Wuhan University “14th Five-Year Plan” Population Policy Research Team. (2020). Reflections and recommendations on population-related economic and social policies during the 14th Five-Year Plan period.China Population, Resources and Environment, 30(6), 20–28.

[9]. Mo, W. Q. (2019). Theoretical and empirical analysis of the relationship between marital stability and fertility changes.Zhejiang Social Sciences, (5), 83–92, 135, 158.

[10]. He, M. S., & Yu, M. (2017). Household per capita income, intergenerational social mobility, and fertility intentions.Labor Economics Research, 5(5), 117–140.

[11]. Mao, Z. Y., & Luo, H. (2013). Differences in fertility intentions and behaviors among women eligible for the two-child policy: An empirical study based on the theory of planned behavior.Population Research, 37(1), 84–93.

[12]. Zhao, M. H. (2019). The impact of women’s education level and marital patterns on the intention to have a second child.Demography Journal, 41(3), 16–27.

[13]. Yang, Y. N. (2020). Effects of delayed age at first marriage and marriage duration on fertility intentions.Southern Population, 35(3), 21–32.

[14]. He, X. B. (2020). Mechanisms of the effect of urban integration on migrant workers’ fertility intentions.Journal of South China Agricultural University (Social Sciences Edition), 19(3), 47–58.

[15]. Li, F. (2017). Does religious belief affect fertility intentions? Analysis based on CGSS 2010 data.World Religious Studies, (3), 18–34.

[16]. Zhang, X. D., Zhang, Y. L., & Jia, G. P. (2021). Research progress on low fertility in China: A literature review.Population and Development, 27(6), 9–21.

[17]. Yan, Y. P., Zhang, S. X., & Li, Y. D. (2024). Research on the impact of family factors on fertility among the childbearing population.Northwest Population, 45(3), 54–65.

[18]. Zhou, J. J., Ren, J. J., & Ju, F. (2022). The impact of housing stratification on urban residents’ fertility intentions.Journal of Shandong University (Philosophy and Social Sciences Edition), (6), 108–120.

[19]. Yang, F. (2025). Bundling and unbundling: Examining marriage and parenting through the lens of “new consensual fertility.”Youth Exploration, 1–9. [J/OL]

[20]. Zhao, H. R., & Tong, H. J. (2015). Intergenerational influence of the family of origin.Journal of North Minzu University (Philosophy and Social Sciences Edition), (3), 126–129.

[21]. Jiao, Y. (2021). Analysis of factors influencing urban women’s fertility intentions in the new era: A case study of Nanjing.News Knowledge, (02), 80–85.

[22]. Wang, Y. F., & Luo, C. (2021). Promote or inhibit? Analysis of the effect and mechanism of education level on fertility intentions.Population and Development, 27(5), 72–82, 23.

[23]. Zhou, X. M. (2018). The influence of economic status and education level on urban household fertility intentions.Population and Economy, (5), 31–40.

[24]. Zhang, X. X., & Cui, Y. Q. (2020). Are women with high human capital more willing to have a second child? A study on the transformation of fertility intentions based on human capital.Journal of Tsinghua University (Philosophy and Social Sciences Edition), 35(2), 182–193.

[25]. Dong, X. X. (2022). Study on the influencing factors and promotion policies of fertility intentions [Doctoral dissertation, Guangzhou University].

References

[1]. Xing, C. G. (2020). “Wanting to give birth” yet “not wanting to give birth”: An exploratory study on the contradictory fertility attitudes of childless youth.China Youth Research, (7), 54–61.

[2]. Zhang, R., & Li, Y. (2025). Swing-type fertility intentions: An analysis of the decision-making logic and mechanisms of childbearing among women of childbearing age under emotional tension.China Youth Research, (3), 40–49.

[3]. Yu, X., & Liang, J. N. (2021). Fertility intentions of China’s only-child women: From the perspective of intergenerational transmission.Zhejiang Social Sciences, (11), 80–89, 97, 158–159.

[4]. Liang, S. Y., Ji, Y., & Li, Y. R. (2025). An analysis of the factors influencing fertility intentions of women of childbearing age and their families based on grounded theory.China Health Education, 41(3), 233–237.

[5]. Jia, Z. K. (2009). Changes in fertility intentions of Chinese residents after the 1950s.Population and Economy, (4), 24–28, 33.

[6]. Hou, J. W., Huang, S. L., & Xin, Z. Q. (2014). Changes in China’s population fertility intentions: 1980–2011.Chinese Social Sciences, (4), 78–97, 206.

[7]. Ren, Y., & Jin, Y. (2024). The influence of family factors on residents’ fertility intentions and policy implications.Journal of Shandong Women’s University, (4), 120–132.

[8]. Wuhan University “14th Five-Year Plan” Population Policy Research Team. (2020). Reflections and recommendations on population-related economic and social policies during the 14th Five-Year Plan period.China Population, Resources and Environment, 30(6), 20–28.

[9]. Mo, W. Q. (2019). Theoretical and empirical analysis of the relationship between marital stability and fertility changes.Zhejiang Social Sciences, (5), 83–92, 135, 158.

[10]. He, M. S., & Yu, M. (2017). Household per capita income, intergenerational social mobility, and fertility intentions.Labor Economics Research, 5(5), 117–140.

[11]. Mao, Z. Y., & Luo, H. (2013). Differences in fertility intentions and behaviors among women eligible for the two-child policy: An empirical study based on the theory of planned behavior.Population Research, 37(1), 84–93.

[12]. Zhao, M. H. (2019). The impact of women’s education level and marital patterns on the intention to have a second child.Demography Journal, 41(3), 16–27.

[13]. Yang, Y. N. (2020). Effects of delayed age at first marriage and marriage duration on fertility intentions.Southern Population, 35(3), 21–32.

[14]. He, X. B. (2020). Mechanisms of the effect of urban integration on migrant workers’ fertility intentions.Journal of South China Agricultural University (Social Sciences Edition), 19(3), 47–58.

[15]. Li, F. (2017). Does religious belief affect fertility intentions? Analysis based on CGSS 2010 data.World Religious Studies, (3), 18–34.

[16]. Zhang, X. D., Zhang, Y. L., & Jia, G. P. (2021). Research progress on low fertility in China: A literature review.Population and Development, 27(6), 9–21.

[17]. Yan, Y. P., Zhang, S. X., & Li, Y. D. (2024). Research on the impact of family factors on fertility among the childbearing population.Northwest Population, 45(3), 54–65.

[18]. Zhou, J. J., Ren, J. J., & Ju, F. (2022). The impact of housing stratification on urban residents’ fertility intentions.Journal of Shandong University (Philosophy and Social Sciences Edition), (6), 108–120.

[19]. Yang, F. (2025). Bundling and unbundling: Examining marriage and parenting through the lens of “new consensual fertility.”Youth Exploration, 1–9. [J/OL]

[20]. Zhao, H. R., & Tong, H. J. (2015). Intergenerational influence of the family of origin.Journal of North Minzu University (Philosophy and Social Sciences Edition), (3), 126–129.

[21]. Jiao, Y. (2021). Analysis of factors influencing urban women’s fertility intentions in the new era: A case study of Nanjing.News Knowledge, (02), 80–85.

[22]. Wang, Y. F., & Luo, C. (2021). Promote or inhibit? Analysis of the effect and mechanism of education level on fertility intentions.Population and Development, 27(5), 72–82, 23.

[23]. Zhou, X. M. (2018). The influence of economic status and education level on urban household fertility intentions.Population and Economy, (5), 31–40.

[24]. Zhang, X. X., & Cui, Y. Q. (2020). Are women with high human capital more willing to have a second child? A study on the transformation of fertility intentions based on human capital.Journal of Tsinghua University (Philosophy and Social Sciences Edition), 35(2), 182–193.

[25]. Dong, X. X. (2022). Study on the influencing factors and promotion policies of fertility intentions [Doctoral dissertation, Guangzhou University].

Cite this article

Chen,S. (2025). Factors influencing women’s fertility intentions in the context of low fertility: a review of domestic literature and research prospects. Advances in Social Behavior Research,16(7),73-79.

Data availability

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study will be available from the authors upon reasonable request.

About volume

Journal: Advances in Social Behavior Research

Volume number: Vol.16
Issue number: Issue 7
ISSN: 2753-7102(Print) / 2753-7110(Online)

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