Uninformed decision-making and regret about delaying childbearing decisions: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study was to examine regret over the timing of the childbearing decision and reasons for its delay. Design: A cross-sectional study. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 219 women and 169 men referred to fertility facilities in Japan from July–December 2018. Participants completed a questionnaire on the reasons for their delay in childbearing decision and the degree of regret regarding their decision. Multiple linear regression was used to analyse the association between degree of regret and the reasons for the delay. Results: The top three reasons for the delay in childbearing decision in women were “Establishing the relationship,” “Health problems,” and “Financial security.” The top three reasons in men were “Establishing the relationship,” “Financial security,” and “Lack of fertility knowledge.” Multiple linear regression showed that lack of fertility knowledge was associated with regret over the timing of childbearing decisions in women and men.