Climate Change Awareness: Does It Affect the Fertility Desire?

Abstract

Aim: The primary aim of the study was to explore the impact of women's climate change awareness on fertility desire, while the secondary aim was to explore the factors influencing women's fertility desire. Material and Methods: The study was performed descriptive and correlational type with 440 women without children between March and October 2023. The women's characteristics form and Fertility Desire Scale and Climate Change Awareness Scale were used for data collection. Results: The mean age of the women was 26.2 ± 4 years, with 55.2% aged 26 or younger; 54.3% held university degrees, and 93% had health insurance. Findings indicate a significant mean total score of 50.7 ± 7.6 on the Fertility Desire Scale, influenced by education, health insurance, income level, marital duration, and type of marriage. Women with higher education levels and those in couple-initiated marriages reported lower fertility desire. The Climate Change Awareness Scale showed a mean score of 210.8 ± 23.2, with higher awareness among those over 26, employed, and with higher education. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed significant predictors of fertility desire, including marital duration and income level. Notably, climate change awareness negatively correlated with fertility desire, explaining 3.1% of the variance. Conclusions: These findings highlight the complex interplay between environmental concerns and reproductive intentions among women, indicating a need for further research in this area.