Socio-economic factors and the impact of postponing first childbirth among newlyweds: An anthropological study in Dar Al-Ramad in Fayoum city

The study aims to identify the social and economic factors and the positive and negative impact of postponing first childbirth. The study is based on the anthropological approach with its tools, the field work guide and the interview with (40) respondents representing (20) husbands and wives, and the informants.                                                                                                 
The study showed that the vast majority of couples postponed their first childbirth for two years, due to educational and professional pursuits, low income, and economic uncertainty (Includes wife's unemployment and temporary work contracts).                                                                                                    The study found that the social factors for postponing the first childbirth are university education, completion of postgraduate studies for both spouses or one of them, use of contraceptives, fear of divorce, support of the social network, and transfer of information and ideas through social media. The study also revealed that the economic factors for postponing the first childbirth are economic uncertainty, women's participation in the labor force, and the high price of housing rent.                                                        
The study showed that the positive return of postponing the first childbirth is represented in achieving academic educational goals, professional goals such as enabling women to obtain the necessary work skills (human capital) and reconciling work and family to some extent, economic goals such as owning an apartment or buying a car, as well as social goals such as achieving marital stability for fear of divorce.The study also showed that the negative impact of postponing the first childbirth is represented by health risks, including prolonging the period of pregnancy after abstaining from birth control pills and taking medical drugs to stimulate the ovaries. It also has social negatives, such as losing support when one grows older, lack of passion for one’s children, and lack of good communication with them. Despite the negatives of postponing the first childbirth, its positives outweigh its negatives, because the age of most women in the study community did not reach or exceed thirty-five years at the time of their first childbirth.