Qualitative study of childbearing challenges among married Iranian university students

This study aimed to investigate the multifaceted challenges of childbearing among Iranian married university students and to identify the underlying factors influencing their reproductive decisions within the Iranian sociocultural and policy context.

This interpretive qualitative study employed conventional qualitative content analysis. Purposive sampling with maximum variation was used to recruit 14 married students. Inclusion criteria were married university students with lived experience of childbearing decisions; exclusion criteria included the right to withdraw at any stage. Sampling continued until data saturation was reached at the 12th interview, and two additional interviews were conducted to confirm thematic stability, with no new codes emerging. Data were systematically managed and coded using MAXQDA 2020 software. Trustworthiness was ensured through Guba and Lincoln’s criteria. Ethical approval was obtained, and informed consent was collected from all participants.

A total of 200 codes, 17 subcategories, and 5 categories were synthesized into one overarching theme: “Tempest of Parenthood,” encapsulating the turbulent intersection of academic life and reproductive aspirations. Categories included: “medical barriers,” “psychological and personal challenges,” “sociocultural barriers,” “financial barriers,” “recreational, occupational, and temporal challenges “.

Iranian married students experience childbearing as a “tempest,” where intersecting institutional, structural, and cultural barriers often override individual desires, despite national pronatalist policies. The findings underscore the necessity of moving beyond financial incentives toward a “student-parent-friendly” university model prioritizing flexible academic regulations, counseling support, and on-campus childcare.