Domains of Motivation in Men and Women for Initiating and Terminating Procreation in an Evolutionary Perspective

Long-term infertile couples often reflect seriously on their desire for a child. By investigating involuntarily childless couples we might get a better understanding of the intensity of the desire for the first child, the motives behind this desire and the difference between men and women in these respects. In this study among 108 couples with a mean infertility period of 8.6 years, the desire for children was still very strong especially among the women. Also, there were differences between men and women as to their motives for having a child. The most frequent motives for wanting a child are part of the categories happiness and well-being. Motives within the categories social control and continuity were seldom mentioned. Among women with the most intense desire for a child, motives within the categories motherhood and identity-development were very important.

Most African countries are pronatalistic with high total fertility rates and a low prevalence of voluntary childlessness. At present, limited data exist relating to the reasons why men and women desire children. This study explores parenthood motives among infertile couples from an urban community in South Africa.