| Abstract: |
Objective: This study investigates how perceived own fecundity and that of the
partner are related to life satisfaction, relationship satisfaction, and union
dissolution. Background: Across many high-income countries, fertility has been
gradually moving to ages at which fecundity starts to decline. This delay in
reproductive timing can have profound implications for individuals' fertility
outcomes, increasing the risk of either voluntary or involuntary
childlessness. In a context that is characterized by late childbearing,
perceived fecundity, both one’s own and that of the partner, may emerge as an
important determinant of individuals' overall satisfaction and the dynamics of
their romantic relationships. Method: Using 13 waves of longitudinal data from
the German Family Panel (pairfam), we employ individual fixed-effects models
to examine within-person changes in perceived fecundity, both one’s own and
that of the partner, and their consequences for satisfaction and relationship
outcomes. Results: Declines in perceived fecundity, for both oneself and one's
partner, were associated with reductions in life and relationship
satisfaction. A key finding is that the partner's perceived fecundity, as
rated by the anchor, had a stronger impact on relationship outcomes than the
anchor’s own perceived fecundity. Additionally, an increase in the risk of
union dissolution was observed with a decline in the partner's perceived
fecundity, while such an association was not found with one's own perceived
fecundity. Our analysis revealed no significant gender differences in these
associations. Additional analyses, in which we interacted perceived fecundity
with parental status and age, showed that the relationship between perceived
fecundity and outcomes was weaker among parents than among childless
individuals, and decreased with age. Conclusion: The study contributes to the
literature on fertility dynamics and their social implications by highlighting
the role of subjective perceptions of one’s own fecundity and that of the
partner in shaping life satisfaction and relationship resilience. |