VI - Conclusion

Summary

In the analysis of parenthood decisions, most studies agree that the most important predictors of the age at which a wife would have her first child are her age at marriage and the number of years she has been married. These two are demographic aspects of childbearing. In this investigation, the same two demographic aspects, particularly the number of years married, appear as the key predictors of actual postponement. When all the assumed factors tested in this study were analysed jointly (through a procedure called factor analysis), the data revealed that these two demographic aspects, that is, age at marriage and years of marriage, explained 29 per cent of the variation (the highest proportion explained by any one variable in this study) in the number of years of postponement: wives who married later had the shortest delay (maximum two years) in having their first child. Wives who married at a younger age could afford to wait three years or more.

Such findings are informative. Yet, in the sociological inquiry into attitudes and feelings, one still needs to identify what other aspects (in addition to age and length of marriage) influence a person's decision on the timing of the first child. Hence, the objective of the preceding discussion has been to identify the influence of non-demographic factors and to explore the assumption that postponement is a choice made under certain circumstances, depending on the wife's perception of marriage, marital satisfaction and husband's agreement, for example.

The conversations with the 233 wives in this study revealed two main aspects of their situation as wives and mothers. The search for the first aspect was carefully charted by including, as variables in the study, all aspects of marriage and family life assumed to be relevant. The general finding is that a wife would be very likely to choose delaying her first child if she believes that postponing their first child would give her and her husband a unique opportunity to enjoy their marriage (defined in modern terms); that such postponement would not create conflict between the spouses (spouses would agree on this); and that she would not be risking pregnancy complications or loss in fertility.