Young Adults’ Fertility Intentions and Self-Reported Rationales in Low-Fertility Finland

Lydia Veronica Palumbo, University of Turku
Marika Jalovaara, University of Turku
Christina Salmivalli, University of Turku

Total fertility rates in Nordic Countries have sharply declined since 2010, making understanding this trend crucial. While many studies rely on register data, our study focused on young Finns’ self-reported fertility intentions. We analyzed survey responses from 3,838 individuals aged 20-29 in 2021-2022, who were asked to evaluate how 38 rationales influenced their intention to postpone childbearing by 5 years, 6-10 years, or beyond, remain childless, or express uncertainty. An exploratory factor analysis identified four key rationale factors: personal and relationship concerns, desire for personal freedom, concerns over global issues (e.g., environment) and career-related rationales. A latent profile analysis revealed four groups of individuals with distinct constellations of rationales. The groups differed in their fertility intentions: those facing temporary challenges —such as freedom desire related to personal/relationship issues or career-concerns—tended to delay childbearing, whereas those prioritizing personal freedom in combination with global concerns (e.g., environmental concerns or overpopulation) were more inclined to forgo it entirely.

Keywords: Fertility, Children, Adolescents, and Youth, Families, Unions and Households

See extended abstract.

  Presented in Session 1. Couple Fertility Preferences and Intentions