Objective: To describe the elements that contribute to men’s decision to have a
first child. Background: The factors contributing to women’s and couples’ decisions
to conceive a first child are known. Less research has been carried out on
men’s experiences with respect to such decisions. Methods: Qualitative research
was carried out in 2011. Twelve Canadian first-time fathers were interviewed.
Results: The findings show that fathers consider a set of personal, socio-economic,
interpersonal and temporal characteristics when making the decision to
conceive a child. Conclusions: Better knowledge of the elements influencing
men’s decisions to have a child will make it possible to provide them with support
during the transition to fatherhood.
