@Article{info:doi/10.2196/50512,
author="Yang, Ting
and Wu, Yihan
and Han, Nuo
and Liu, Tianli",
title="Chinese Women's Concept of Childbirth Based on the Social Media Topic ``What Does Childbirth Mean to a Woman'': Content and Thematic Analysis",
journal="JMIR Pediatr Parent",
year="2024",
month="Jan",
day="5",
volume="7",
pages="e50512",
keywords="childbirth willingness; social media; risk perception; childbirth cost; childbirth benefit",
abstract="Background: In recent years, women's fertility desire has attracted increasing attention in China. Objective: This study aims to detect attitudes toward giving birth among young female users on Douban, a very popular Chinese social media platform. Methods: A total of 2634 valid posts from 2489 users discussing the topic ``What does childbirth mean to a woman'' on Douban were crawled and retained for analysis. We utilized content and thematic analysis methods to capture users' concepts of childbirth. Results: The findings reveal that a significant majority of users conveyed generally neutral (1060/2634, 40.24{\%}) or negative (1051/2634, 39.90{\%}) attitudes toward childbirth, while only about one-fifth of users expressed positive (523/2634, 19.86{\%}) sentiments. Notably, posts with negative attitudes garnered more replies and likes, and the proportion of posts expressing negativity exhibited fluctuations over time. Health risk (339/2634, 12.87{\%}) emerged as the most frequently cited aspect of childbirth cost, with subjective happiness and the fulfillment of mental needs identified as primary benefits. Surprisingly, only a minimal number of posts (10/2634, 0.38{\%}) touched upon the traditional objective benefits of raising children for old-age care. Thematic analysis results suggest that discussions about fertility on social media platforms might contribute to an exaggerated perception of health risks among women. Additionally, a lack of knowledge about childbirth was observed, partially attributable to longstanding neglect and avoidance of communication on these matters, likely influenced by traditional cultural biases. Moreover, there is a prevailing assumption that women should naturally sacrifice themselves for childbirth and childcare, influenced by the idealization of the female figure. Consequently, women may harbor hesitations about having a baby, fearing the potential loss of their own identity in the process. Conclusions: The results indicate a shift in the perception of childbirth among modern Chinese women over time, influenced by their increasing social status and the pursuit of self-realization. Implementing strategies such as public education on the health risks associated with pregnancy and delivery, safeguarding women's rights, and creating a supportive environment for mothers may enhance women's willingness to undergo childbirth. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): RR2-10.2196/preprints.50468 ",
issn="2561-6722",
doi="10.2196/50512",
url="https://pediatrics.jmir.org/2024/1/e50512",
url="https://doi.org/10.2196/50512",
url="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/38180784"
}