Determinants Of Childlessness Essay

Rising levels of childlessness are contributing to falling birth rates and strengthening prospects of prolonged population decline in many industrialized countries. Developing countries with higher fertility rates have a different scenario; in addition fertility issues, infertility and childlessness has a deep cultural dimension. Being childless has a wide range of consequences in many developing countries; in terms of social stigma, familial violence, and psychological or economic disadvantages. This study focuses on childlessness of Bangladesh, a South Asian country, where population is one of the major problem but fertility rates decline in the last few decades sharply. Evidence from recent DHS survey indicates that distribution of childlessness

Determinants of childlessness may be found also in early life course experiences in the family, such as parental socio-economic status and birth order. Higher parental socioeconomic status has been found to be related to less coercive parenting styles with moderate to high levels of parental warmth, greater independence training, and a greater emphasis on achievement: all predictors of childlessness [5]. These parenting styles are likely to foster greater independence and autonomy in children and the early development of an achievement identity versus a mothering identity, also found to predict childlessness. Explanation of religion in voluntary childlessness is infrequent as religious norms generally encourage high levels of fertility and traditional values, which can run counter to the values of a family with no children [5]. Another study on childlessness stated that birth order, size of family of orientation, mother’s employment, or perceived parental happiness were not related to childlessness [6]. Still, most of the studies mentioned urban residency, greater financial stability and professional employment as determinant of childlessness