Will Couples Who Are the Only One Child Break the Intergenerational Transmission to Have More Children?An Analysis Based on 476 Questionnaires in Chengdu and Chongqing

It is generally believed that couples who are the only one child are more likely to have less children. This article focuses on the fertility intentions of single parents, comprehensively examining the influencing factors from four dimensions: economic factors, social factors, intergenerational support, and cultural beliefs. The study found that fertility beliefs have changed with the development of economy and society. The main reason why contemporary couples who are the only one child choose to have another child is "parental love and companionship for existing children" while the concept of "raising children to support the elderly" has weakened. At the same time, the fertility intentions of these couples are low but have the potential to increase. There is a deviation between the fertility ideals and actual fertility behavior among most couples who have already had a child. Improvements in economic conditions, social security, and parenting conditions can enhance their fertility intentions. Additionally, due to higher opportunity costs, the fertility intentions of women are significantly lower than those of men. Based on this, the article proposes recommendations for the government, society, and families to enhance the fertility intentions of being-only-one-child couples from both material conditions and fertility culture aspects.