Migration and fertility preferences: a qualitative study with returnee migrants and left-behind wives

Abstract

This article derives from a more comprehensive research whose overall objective was to analyze both quantitatively and qualitatively the relationship between international migration and fertility preferences. This paper, however, focuses solely on the qualitative research findings, which show that in places of origin decreasing circular migration and prolonged absences of husbands discourage left-behind wives' fertility preferences, specifically their intentions to have additional children and their preferred fertility timing. In addition, among returnee migrant women who have left their children in the care of elderly grandparents or other family members, guilty feelings may increase women's desires to postpone subsequent pregnancies to emotionally compensating their left-behind children. Nonetheless, left-behind children estrange from their returnee migrant parents may encourage parents' desires for additional children, particularly among women who may feel obliged to fulfill their mothers' role.