Family Change and Continuity in Iran: Birth Control Use before First Pregnancy

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Citation

Abbasi-Shavazi, Mohammad Jalal; Morgan, S. Philip; Hossein-Chavoshi, Meimanat; & McDonald, Peter (2009). Family Change and Continuity in Iran: Birth Control Use before First Pregnancy. Journal of Marriage and Family, 71(5), 1309-1324. PMCID: PMC2849153

Abstract

Using data from the 2002 Iran Fertility Transition Survey, we examined birth control use between marriage and first pregnancy. We focused on the post-1990 increase in birth control use and develop two explanations. The first posits that birth control use reflects a new marriage form, the conjugal marriage, which places a heightened value on the spousal relationship while deemphasizing the centrality of parenthood. A second explanation stresses the use of a new resource, effective birth control, within an Iranian-Islamist view of marriage. Key to this explanation is the role of the state—Iranian political/religious actors encourage early marriage and the use of birth control. Although the explanations could be complementary, evidence provides more support for the latter.

URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-3737.2009.00670.x

Reference Type

Journal Article

Year Published

2009

Journal Title

Journal of Marriage and Family

Author(s)

Abbasi-Shavazi, Mohammad Jalal
Morgan, S. Philip
Hossein-Chavoshi, Meimanat
McDonald, Peter

PMCID

PMC2849153