Conceptualizing the Indian Millennial’s ‘Infertility Behaviors’: Towards A Better Understanding and Measurement of Multi-Dimensional Research Construct with Structural Equation Modeling

Abstract

Abstract. Millennia’s ‘infertility behaviour’ as a research construct owes a longer history of extensive research and analysis. Millennia’s infertility-oriented behaviour has already been explored from individual perspective, institutional perspective as well as from organisational perspective, from social and dogmatic perspective as well. Each approach has its own merits and demerits. Ideally the construct’s focus of study revolves around Millennia’s own individual derived attributes, traits, inclinations as well as contingent supports and influences that shape up the phenomenon. The task of evaluation of Millennia’s role in the shaping of infertility tendencies and lack of reproductive aspirations owes a longer record of scholarly research. The recent review of literature suggests that diverse factors, which are internal to Millennia’s cognitions and contingent to Millennia’s reproductive decision making collectively shape the phenomenon. The existing literature calls for emphasis on individual traits, aspects of traits, habits, misinformation, and lack of responsibility in behaviour. The aspect of ‘triggered infertility’ has gained currency on the notion that experienced inability to reproduce is self-made or self-triggered instead of imposed from outside the environment. The reported second major influence is from the ‘perceptions’ of natural environments and third from the vocational/work related, career driven, health and drugs, stress aspects, contingent influences, sexual and reproductive health communications. These are believed to shape reproductive self-efficacy which poses consequences for sustainability of current employability and respective family orientation. In nutshell, Millennia’s triggered infertility behaviour identifies as a matter of intensive research across developed and developing economies alike. The behaviour in literal terminology refers to self-driven engagement in a particular set of habits and exhibits the philosophy of the self-motivation and emphasis on new youth identification, development and sexual positioning and exploration rather than undertaking family rearing responsibilities.  The philosophy imbibes the concept of youth based self-engagement into specific and strategic activities that pertain to specific lifestyle development and expertise gain about self-identity establishment and intent for being a single instead of being a family man. In this prospect, the current proposed research seeks to explore the vivid aspects, factors and dimensions that collectively see to shape up the phenomenon across contextual roots in Delhi/NCR and North Indian states. The study makes sense as the triggered infertility in Indian perspective is increasing, and more health policy decisions are aimed at promoting fertility.