AI Insight
This study examined how married couples' perceptions of women's empowerment relate to agreement on fertility desires in Pakistan, using data from 3,027 couples. The research found moderate agreement between spouses on whether to have more children, with wives who perceived themselves as having high decision-making authority being twice as likely to want more children when their husbands did not. The findings highlight how gendered power dynamics within households influence reproductive preferences and decision-making.
Why it matters
Understanding how spousal perceptions of women's empowerment affect fertility agreement can inform family planning programs and interventions that engage both partners in reproductive health decisions. This research is particularly relevant for contexts where gender inequality affects women's reproductive autonomy and could help design more effective couple-centered approaches to family planning.
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⚠️ Preprint – Noch nicht peer-reviewed
Dieser Artikel wurde noch nicht von unabhängigen Experten begutachtet. Die Ergebnisse sind vorläufig und sollten mit Vorsicht interpretiert werden.
Introduction The current study examined the association between husbands’ and wives’ perceptions of women’s empowerment, focusing on household decision-making, attitudes toward IPV, and fertility desires in Pakistan. Methods Data from currently married couples participating in the Pakistan DHS (2017-18) were included in the analysis (n=3,027). The level of concordance on fertility desires was assessed using Kappa Coefficient. Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to assess the internal consistency and dimensionality of household decision-making and IPV attitude items; items within each construct were subsequently summed to generate categorical empowerment scores used in the regression analyses. Relative risk ratios were estimated for perceived empowerment on spousal concordance on fertility desires using multinomial logistic regressions. Results The study found a moderate level of spousal agreement on fertility desires (Kappa=0.51). Among significant findings: wife’s perception of her own high decision-making authority was associated with more than a two-fold increase in wife-only discordance (wife wanting more children, husband wanting no more), compared to both spouses wanting more children. Conclusion The study contributes to the understanding of couple’s gendered dynamics and how they may influence fertility desires. Such knowledge informs efforts to increase both spouses’ involvement in reproductive decision-making and behaviors.