fertility desires and related social factors in married individuals in northeast iran

Background: iran faces the challenge of declining fertility rates, followed by a lack of desire to have children. social factors affect individuals' willingness to have children. therefore, this study aimed to investigate the desire to have children and the social factors related to it among married individuals in gonabad city, iran.methods: this cross-sectional analytical study was conducted on 556 people of reproductive age (15-49 years) covered by comprehensive health service centers in gonabad city, northeast iran, in 2022-2023. sampling was performed using a stratified random method proportional to the volume. questionnaires on demographic characteristics, the desire to have children, onyx and bolen's social capital, and the socioeconomic status of the power scale were used to collect data. pearson's correlation coefficient test and simple and multiple linear regression models were used. the data were analyzed using spss software, version 21, and the significance level was considered <0.05.results: the desire to have children was low (17.7%). the level of social capital was low in 59.9% of participants. the results of the multiple regression model also showed a statistically significant relationship between the value of life, social participation, and family and friendship relationships with the desire for fertility (p<0.001).conclusion: this study's findings reveal that women's desire for fertility is declining. this trend suggests a shift in women's attitudes toward having children. therefore, the government should consider the various cultural and social factors influencing fertility when formulating policies.