Fertility desire in northeast China amid population shrinkage differential identification and influence mechanisms

Abstract The population of northeast China has decreased by over 10 million from 2010 to 2020, resulting in an ageing population and economic and social development challenges. The decline in population is closely related to fertility desire. Thus, this study establishes a quantitative index system...

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Main Authors: Haoming Mu, Peng Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-06-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-04137-7
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author Haoming Mu
Peng Zhang
author_facet Haoming Mu
Peng Zhang
author_sort Haoming Mu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The population of northeast China has decreased by over 10 million from 2010 to 2020, resulting in an ageing population and economic and social development challenges. The decline in population is closely related to fertility desire. Thus, this study establishes a quantitative index system for fertility desire, tailored to the three northeastern provinces of China, using data from 4155 questionnaires. It innovatively examines the ‘three-dimensional differentiation’ characteristics of this system. The study reveals that residents’ fertility desire in the three northeastern provinces exhibits a spatial pattern characterised by ‘one axis and multiple rings’, with high fertility desire values situated east of the Harbin-Changchun-Shenyang-Dalian regional development axis. Residents’ fertility desire is influenced by various factors, including educational background, family pressure, and population migration to the south, indicating a trend towards internalisation. This paper offers a reference for developing differentiated regional population policies.
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spelling doaj-art-b704068dfbad4bbdbbeb8e8e443cf14d2025-08-20T02:30:41ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-06-0115111510.1038/s41598-025-04137-7Fertility desire in northeast China amid population shrinkage differential identification and influence mechanismsHaoming Mu0Peng Zhang1College of Geographical Science, Harbin Normal UniversityCollege of Geographical Science, Harbin Normal UniversityAbstract The population of northeast China has decreased by over 10 million from 2010 to 2020, resulting in an ageing population and economic and social development challenges. The decline in population is closely related to fertility desire. Thus, this study establishes a quantitative index system for fertility desire, tailored to the three northeastern provinces of China, using data from 4155 questionnaires. It innovatively examines the ‘three-dimensional differentiation’ characteristics of this system. The study reveals that residents’ fertility desire in the three northeastern provinces exhibits a spatial pattern characterised by ‘one axis and multiple rings’, with high fertility desire values situated east of the Harbin-Changchun-Shenyang-Dalian regional development axis. Residents’ fertility desire is influenced by various factors, including educational background, family pressure, and population migration to the south, indicating a trend towards internalisation. This paper offers a reference for developing differentiated regional population policies.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-04137-7Population shrinkageFertility desireDifferentiation characteristicsInfluencing factors and mechanism
spellingShingle Haoming Mu
Peng Zhang
Fertility desire in northeast China amid population shrinkage differential identification and influence mechanisms
Scientific Reports
Population shrinkage
Fertility desire
Differentiation characteristics
Influencing factors and mechanism
title Fertility desire in northeast China amid population shrinkage differential identification and influence mechanisms
title_full Fertility desire in northeast China amid population shrinkage differential identification and influence mechanisms
title_fullStr Fertility desire in northeast China amid population shrinkage differential identification and influence mechanisms
title_full_unstemmed Fertility desire in northeast China amid population shrinkage differential identification and influence mechanisms
title_short Fertility desire in northeast China amid population shrinkage differential identification and influence mechanisms
title_sort fertility desire in northeast china amid population shrinkage differential identification and influence mechanisms
topic Population shrinkage
Fertility desire
Differentiation characteristics
Influencing factors and mechanism
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-04137-7
work_keys_str_mv AT haomingmu fertilitydesireinnortheastchinaamidpopulationshrinkagedifferentialidentificationandinfluencemechanisms
AT pengzhang fertilitydesireinnortheastchinaamidpopulationshrinkagedifferentialidentificationandinfluencemechanisms