Recognizing the Complexity of Fertility Decision-Making in the Philippines

Jessica D. Gipson, University of California, Los Angeles

Measurements of fertility desires and subsequent outcomes are essential in determining the degree to which individuals and couples are achieving their desired fertility, a key objective of global reproductive health policies and programs, yet advances in the measurement of fertility preferences continue to be challenged by its inherent complexity. This paper describes key constructs of the Theory of Conjunctural Action (TCA), a newly-developed sociological theory, and applies these constructs to qualitative data from young adults in the Philippines regarding the formation of fertility preferences and reactions to an unexpected pregnancy. I discuss the utility and applicability of the TCA in understanding fertility preferences and “pregnancy ambivalence” in this setting. I end the paper with a call for further development and integration of diverse theoretical perspectives, methods and measures to better assess this complex phenomenon, particularly within adolescent and young adult populations in dynamic social settings.