IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jscscx/v14y2025i5p293-d1652847.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Why Has China’s Fertility Rate Plummeted in the Past Decade? An Investigation of Fertility Intentions and Influencing Factors Among Single, Unmarried Women of Childbearing Age in China

Author

Listed:
  • Yantong Zhou

    (Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China
    State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, University of Macau, Macau, China
    Department of Public Health and Medicinal Administration, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China)

  • Ying Bian

    (Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China
    State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, University of Macau, Macau, China
    Department of Public Health and Medicinal Administration, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China)

Abstract

Background/Objectives : Currently, the type of population reproduction in China has changed to “low birth, low death, low growth”. Additionally, as the number of single people has increased and the number of women of childbearing age has decreased, the growth of the total population was bound to show a negative trend. Therefore, this study aimed to understand what factors influence fertility intentions from the perspective of single, unmarried women. Methods : We designed our own online questionnaire and collected information on fertility intentions from single, unmarried women of childbearing age (18–49 years). A total of 741 questionnaires were collected, with a valid response rate of 92.6%, and the Theory of Planned Behavior model was integrated into the questionnaire survey. Statistical analysis was performed via SPSS 24.0, and AMOS 24.0 software’s analysis of variance was used to determine whether there were differences in attitudes towards fertility intentions among respondents. Structural equation models were constructed via AMOS software for validation factor analysis and path analysis. Results : There was a significant difference ( p < 0.05) in “monthly income”, “net family income”, “health status”, and “only-child status”. Structural equation modelling revealed that fertility attitudes (β 1 = 0.301, p < 0.05), subjective norms (β 2 = 0.295, p < 0.05), and perceived behavioural control (β 3 = 0.146, p < 0.05) positively influence fertility intentions. Conclusions : The fertility intentions of single, unmarried women of childbearing age in China are influenced by many factors. Therefore, society should pay more attention to the rights and interests of single, unmarried women and provide a better social environment for childbearing; in addition, it is possible to appropriately relax the fertility policy of single births to improve the low fertility rate in China.

Suggested Citation

  • Yantong Zhou & Ying Bian, 2025. "Why Has China’s Fertility Rate Plummeted in the Past Decade? An Investigation of Fertility Intentions and Influencing Factors Among Single, Unmarried Women of Childbearing Age in China," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-13, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:14:y:2025:i:5:p:293-:d:1652847
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/14/5/293/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/14/5/293/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:14:y:2025:i:5:p:293-:d:1652847. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.