Phenomenology of the timing of first birth among women in Tehranwomen

The aim of this paper is to investigate women''s attitudes about timing of first birth as the main step in life course of individuals. The data for this study have been collected through a qualitative method and applying in-depth interview with 30 married women aged 20-49 in Tehran in 2011. Women in this study had their first birth within around 4 years of their marriage. The result showed postponement of first birth is a strategy to create a balance between personal and family goals and objectives in other areas of life. The delay of first birth is emerging as the new norm among married women in recent cohorts and is most common among young women. According to this study financial and opportunity costs of childbearing has influenced changes in the reproductive behavior of women. The postponement has also strong associations with tendencies of women for higher education، economic problems، especially lack of housing and stable jobs for men، social norms related to appropriate age of marriage، fear and uncertainty about the stability of marriage due to the increase of divorce in society.