A Qualitative Study of Factors Influencing Antinatalism from the Lived Experiences of Antinatalist Couples
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Objective: This study aimed to explore the factors influencing antinatalism from the lived experiences of voluntarily childfree couples in Iran.
Methods and Materials: A qualitative phenomenological design was used. The study population included antinatalist couples living in Isfahan in 2025 who had been married for at least ten years and had voluntarily remained childfree. Ten couples, including 20 participants, were recruited through snowball sampling until theoretical saturation was achieved. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews lasting 40–60 minutes. Interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using thematic network analysis in MAXQDA. Trustworthiness was enhanced through member checking, peer debriefing, repeated review of transcripts, data saturation, confidentiality, and written informed consent.
Findings: Analysis of interview data yielded 239 initial codes, 18 organizing themes, and 5 overarching themes. The main themes were economic factors, individual factors, family factors, socio-cultural factors, and child-related factors. Economic factors included couples’ financial conditions, economic instability, emphasis on quality of life, and the gap between expectations and economic realities. Individual factors included individualism, physical and mental health, heavy parenting responsibility, and non-material values. Family factors included increased burden on women and dissatisfaction with life or marital life. Socio-cultural factors included rationalism in childbearing, risk perception, cultural rethinking, decline in religious values, media influence, and childbearing anxiety. Child-related factors included perceived harms to children and burdens children may impose on the family.
Conclusion: Antinatalism among voluntarily childfree couples was shaped by intertwined economic, personal, family, socio-cultural, and child-related concerns.
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