Level, Trend and Pattern of Childlessness in Iran

Short postponement of entry to motherhood has occurred from 1990 onwards in Iran. There is some evidence of an increase in childlessness due to delay of childbearing. Using data from the 2000 Iran Demographic and Health Survey (IDHS) and the 1991-2003 survey of Socio-Economic Characteristics of Household in Iran (SECHI), this paper estimates the level and trend of childlessness across time in Iran. Our results show that childlessness in five-year age-groups between ages 15 and 39 increased during 1991-2003. In contracts, the proportion of childlessness in the last years of the reproductive life which can considered as permanent childlessness has reduced from 3.8 per cent to 2.2 per cent. Increased proportion of women with zero parity in Iran seems to be due to tempo effects resulted from short postponement of first birth. Reduction in lifetime childlessness may be due to more access to the assisted reproductive technologies in the country. The IDHS data allowed us to distinguish between voluntary and involuntary childlessness. Among ever-married women aged 15-49 voluntary and involuntary childlessness were 8.5 and 2.0 per cent, respectively. Provincial estimates show that most provinces with a low level of socio- economic development experienced the highest involuntary childlessness as compared with other provinces.