Zahra Mokhtari Nia, Forouzandeh Jafarzadehpour, Tahmine Shawardi,
Volume 20, Issue 2 (9-2022)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Demographic policies are designed and implemented with the aim of creating a better life for individuals in the society as well as protecting national interests. However, whether the implementation of these policies has achieved this goal or has had other, possibly unwanted, consequences that would affect the lives of the citizens, especially vulnerable people, requires careful investigation. These policies have had profound effects on the family and the health of family members, especially women. The purpose of this research was to investigate the understanding and interpretations of women in the southern areas of Tehran who had experienced unwanted pregnancy regarding population increase policies and their effects on women and their family lives.
Materials and Methods: This research was a descriptive qualitative study. Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews with 23 married women with a history of unwanted pregnancy referring to the comprehensive health centers in districts 16, 17 and 19 of South Tehran Health Network. Purposive sampling was continued until a theoretical saturation was reached, and data analysis was performed based on the foundation data theory.
Results: Out of the primary data consisting of a total of 850 open codes, 452 concepts, 15 main categories and 47 sub-categories were extracted. Finally, "dissatisfaction with interventionism" was chosen as the main phenomenon covering the rest of the categories.
Conclusion: The most important factors causing dissatisfaction with government intervention among the participants are imposing costs related to unwanted pregnancies and keeping and raising an unwanted child. The intervening conditions of this phenomenon are "poverty and high cost". The participants' strategies included suppressing their wants, regret and attempts to improve the situation and reducing sexual relations.
