A qualitative study of Chinese women’s fertility desire in light of the recent two-child policy

Abstract: The study found that during the period prior to the release of the two-child policy, the decision of whether to have a second child or not had become less affected by the family planning policy. Some wealthy people, or those who were eager to have a second child had already had a second child despite the policy, even at the expense of risking a fine. This ‘rigid birth will’ greatly reduced the effectiveness of the family planning policy. However, the family planning policy has had a longer lasting impact in that some people still limit their fertility intentions to within the range of 1-2 children, and there is rarely a willingness to go higher. Some people would have determined not to have a second child even if the policy had not existed and as such, this group of people were not affected by the policy. Other people expressed their desire to have a second child, but because of various practical factors such as work, family, economy, or personal pursuits, they have had to prioritize their life choices. At the same time, the study found that intergenerational expectations still have a great influence on the fertility desire of the younger generation.