Gadalla S, McCarthy J, Campbell O
Stud Fam Plann. 1985 May-Jun;16(3):164-9.
Couples in rural areas of many Arab societies, including Egypt, have consistently reported strong preferences for having sons. However, these reported preferences are not always reflected in reproductive behavior. In 38 rural villages in Menoufia Governorate in Egypt, women's responses to a community-based contraceptive distribution program were examined, taking into consideration both the number of living children and the number of living sons each women reported having. Controlling for number of living children, women with more sons were more likely to be using contraception before the distribution program began. Among women not using contraception before the program, those with more sons were more likely to initiate contraceptive use and were more likely to continue use for a nine-month period following the distribution. These findings imply that in addition to obstacles related to contraceptive availability, there are several cultural, social, and economic factors that influence fertility behavior and exert considerable pressure on married couples to have large families, including several sons. Unless the pressure exerted by these factors is changed or reduced, the impact of family planning programs is likely to reach a plateau at a relatively low prevalence level.
包括埃及在内的许多阿拉伯社会农村地区的夫妇一直表示，他们强烈希望生育儿子。然而，这些报告的偏好并不总是反映在生育行为中。在埃及米努夫省的38个农村村庄，研究了妇女对一项基于社区的避孕用品分发计划的反应，同时考虑了每个妇女报告的存活子女数量和存活儿子数量。在控制存活子女数量的情况下，儿子较多的妇女在分发计划开始前更有可能使用避孕措施。在计划开始前未使用避孕措施的妇女中，儿子较多的妇女更有可能开始使用避孕措施，并且在分发后的九个月内更有可能继续使用。这些发现表明，除了与避孕用品可及性相关的障碍外，还有几个文化、社会和经济因素影响生育行为，并给已婚夫妇带来生育大家庭（包括几个儿子）的巨大压力。除非这些因素施加的压力得到改变或减轻，计划生育项目的影响可能会在相对较低的普及率水平上达到平稳状态。
