ReviewSexual and reproductive health matters2023
A pronatalist turn in population policies in Iran and its likely adverse impacts on reproductive rights, health and inequality: a critical narrative review.
Review in Sexual and reproductive health matters, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 18 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
18 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- The abortion trend after the pronatalist turn of population policies in Iran: a systematic review from 2005 to 2022.BMC public health · 2024Pooled it
- Exploring the reasons behind induced abortion among Iranian couples: a qualitative study.BMJ open · 2026Article
- Article
- Motivations of Childbearing Among Iranian Working Mothers With Two or More Children: A Qualitative Study.Health science reports · 2026Article
- Rehabilitation in Iran's Health System: A Qualitative Inquiry Into Policy Landscape and System Strengthening Pathways.Health science reports · 2026Article
- Investments in health and mortality reduction to address population decline.Bulletin of the World Health Organization · 2026Article
- Sleep quality during pregnancy: the role of anxiety, fear of childbirth, and obstetric factors - a multicenter cross-sectional study.BMC public health · 2025Article
- Future-Proofing the ICPD PoA: Reproductive Rights in a Low-Fertility World.Studies in family planning · 2025Article
- Contentious population policy-making and its consequences: a health policy analysis.International journal for equity in health · 2025Article
- The impact of new population policies on women's reproductive health pattern in Ardabil, Iran: a comparative cross-sectional study.Frontiers in reproductive health · 2025Article
- A 32-year trend analysis of lower respiratory infections in children under 5: insights from the global burden of disease study 2021.Frontiers in public health · 2025Article
- Reasons for unsafe abortion in Iran after pronatalist policy changes: a qualitative study.Reproductive health · 2024Article
- The continuing fight for abortion rights: taking stock of the evidence.Sexual and reproductive health matters · 2024Article
- Health Transitions and the Rise of Modern Contraceptive Prevalence: Demand, Access, and Choice.Population and development review · 2024Article
- Explaining the framework of the pro-natalist policy implementation process in Iran: A study protocol.Journal of education and health promotion · 2024Article
- Analysis of Birth Growth: Using a Mixture Cure Frailty Model.Medical journal of the Islamic Republic of Iran · 2024Article
- Impact of Family Planning Program on Related Drug Consumption in Iran: A Ten-Year Trend Analysis (2014 - 2023).Iranian journal of pharmaceutical research : IJPRArticle
- Educational Barriers and Facilitators Related to Iran's Pronatalist Population Policy: A Qualitative Study.Iranian journal of nursing and midwifery researchArticle
Corrections and comments
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2 authors.
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Abstract
Iran has witnessed three major reversals of population policies since their inception in the 1960s. In response to a rapid decline in fertility to very low levels, the latest policy shift has led to the development of legislation that aims to encourage marriage and fertility, particularly the "Youthful Population and Protection of the Family" law approved in 2021. This study reviews the changes in population policy and their interrelations with fertility trends, focusing mainly on the shift towards pronatalist policies since 2005, and accompanying restriction of reproductive health and family planning services. Combining international and national sources, we position the new pronatalist drive in the country within the broader trend of government attempts to reverse fertility decline and promote conservative family values. Our study has three main aims. (1) We provide an overview of fertility trends, policy discourses and policy shifts in the context of the changes in the societal and political structures of Iran during the last half a century. (2) We highlight and discuss the most problematic features of the new Family Law, especially the legislation pertaining to maternal and reproductive health, access to abortion and contraception, and incentives supporting earlier marriage and higher fertility. (3) We discuss the likely consequences of the new legislation for maternal and child health and sexual and reproductive rights, for women in general, and the country's socio-economic disparities. As well as violating reproductive rights, the new policy is unlikely to achieve its aim of initiating a sustained rise in fertility in Iran.
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