Summary of the Article: Italian Study on Motherhoodโ Regretโฃ & Fertility
This article details the findings of the “Forties” survey, a study coordinated โขby โProfessor Alessandra Minello โคat the university of Padua, โinvestigating theโฃ often-taboo topic ofโ motherhood regret in Italy.โ Here’s a breakdown of the key takeaways:
* Regret Exists,โค But Isn’tโฃ Widespread: While not common, regret over motherhood does exist among Italian mothers.
* Impact on Future Fertility: Mothers experiencing regretโ show a critically important โคdecrease in their intention to โคhave another child, notably โyounger mothers (20-34) and older mothers (35-45).
* Gender Roles โขPlayโ aโข Role: The link between regret โฃand decreased fertility intentions is stronger among mothers with more egalitarian โคviewsโ on gender roles. traditional โฃmothers are โmore โlikely toโ maintain their fertilityโ intentions even with regret.
* Breaking the Taboo: โ The study highlights the societal pressure to portray motherhood โคas universally joyful, which โsilences the complex emotional โขand identity โคchallenges it can present. Acknowledging regret isn’t โฃaboutโค questioning parenting,but understanding the difficulties mothers face.
* โ Demographic Implications: In a country with โa low birthโ rate like Italy,โ understanding โmothers’ well-being and self-determination is crucial for addressingโฃ the โdemographic future.
* โ Wider Contextโค of Challenges: The article points to a broader context of obstacles facing Italian mothers, including obstetric violence,โค difficulties โwith assisted procreation, the โmental load imbalance, declining adoptions, and the tension โขbetween promoting traditional family ideals and offering support.
* โค Round Table Discussion: Theโ findings โwere discussed atโ a roundโข table event focusing on โค”motherhood without wounds,” featuring experts in demography,โข law, sociology, and โคa maternal health advocate.
In essence, the study suggests that acknowledging and addressing the complexities of โmotherhood, including the possibility of regret, is vital for โขsupporting mothersโ and possiblyโ influencing โขItaly’s declining birth rate.
