Fertility attitudes and intentions among postgraduate female and male students in China: A qualitative focus group study

Objective: To explore the fertility attitudes and intentions of postgraduate female and male students in China. Methods: A qualitative descriptive study was conducted using focus group interviews and purposive sampling to select 27 postgraduate students. This diverse group included eight nursing, five pharmacy, four rehabilitation, four ophthalmology, and six stomatology students from a graduate school in China. Data were collected through three focus groups from June 2023 to August 2023. Themes and sub-themes were identified through thematic analysis. Findings: The study identified three themes impacting the students' fertility intentions: (1) changes in fertility attitudes, (2) personal and external factors affecting their fertility intentions, and (3) the need for fertility support. Conclusion: This study provides insights into the fertility attitudes and intentions of a specific cohort, namely postgraduate students in China. The results indicate that postgraduate students are open to new ideas and place greater importance on personal realization and emotional satisfaction in the context of their fertility intentions than on the three-child policy. We discovered that women's attitudes and intentions on fertility were frequently impacted by media and other information, whereas men were rarely influenced by such factors. However, family and social support, especially partner support, were crucial in fostering positive fertility intentions among postgraduate students.