TY - JOUR
T1 - Is perception of inability to procreate a temporal phenomenon?
T2 - A longitudinal exploration of changes and determinants among women and men of reproductive age in Germany
AU - Passet-Wittig, Jasmin
AU - Bujard, Martin
AU - McQuillan, Julia
AU - Greil, Arthur L.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020
PY - 2020/9
Y1 - 2020/9
N2 - Continued postponement of births and increasing use of reproductive medicine enhance the relevance of infertility and related perceptions for fertility research. Fertility researchers tend to assume that an existing perception of inability to procreate is a stable trait among persons of reproductive age. This assumption is questionable from a life course perspective and has not been thoroughly investigated. Therefore we investigate the prevalence, stability, and correlates of perceived inability to procreate. We apply between-within logit models to annual panel data (2008-2015) to study variation in perceived inability to procreate within individuals over time and between individuals. We find that approximately every 20th person of reproductive age is affected. There is considerable instability among those who ever perceive an inability to procreate: On average, 39 % of women and 48 % of men who perceive an inability in one year change to not perceiving an inability in the next year. Multivariate analysis shows that increases in age and perception of one's partner as unable to procreate are associated with higher odds of perceiving an inability to procreate. Not using contraception is associated with higher odds of perceiving an inability to procreate. Perceived procreative ability further differs by parity, level of education, immigration background, and religious denomination. In summary, perception of inability to procreate is a temporal phenomenon that is shaped by lifecourse contexts and social group differences.
AB - Continued postponement of births and increasing use of reproductive medicine enhance the relevance of infertility and related perceptions for fertility research. Fertility researchers tend to assume that an existing perception of inability to procreate is a stable trait among persons of reproductive age. This assumption is questionable from a life course perspective and has not been thoroughly investigated. Therefore we investigate the prevalence, stability, and correlates of perceived inability to procreate. We apply between-within logit models to annual panel data (2008-2015) to study variation in perceived inability to procreate within individuals over time and between individuals. We find that approximately every 20th person of reproductive age is affected. There is considerable instability among those who ever perceive an inability to procreate: On average, 39 % of women and 48 % of men who perceive an inability in one year change to not perceiving an inability in the next year. Multivariate analysis shows that increases in age and perception of one's partner as unable to procreate are associated with higher odds of perceiving an inability to procreate. Not using contraception is associated with higher odds of perceiving an inability to procreate. Perceived procreative ability further differs by parity, level of education, immigration background, and religious denomination. In summary, perception of inability to procreate is a temporal phenomenon that is shaped by lifecourse contexts and social group differences.
KW - Fertility behavior
KW - Infertility
KW - Life course perspective
KW - Panel analysis
KW - Perceived inability to procreate
KW - Theory of planned behavior
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U2 - 10.1016/j.alcr.2020.100339
DO - 10.1016/j.alcr.2020.100339
M3 - Article
C2 - 36698273
AN - SCOPUS:85104746655
SN - 1040-2608
VL - 45
JO - Advances in Life Course Research
JF - Advances in Life Course Research
M1 - 100339
ER -