Influence of Mother-in-law on Family Size

Abstract

Background: Under the patriarchal joint family society system, a young married woman is under the control of the mother-in-law, who heads the power hierarchy.

Objective To assess the influence of mother-in-law on family size and to compare it between two geographically different communities of Lahore and Bahawalpur.

Methodology: Study Design: Cross-sectional comparative Setting: Lahore and Bahawalpur, Punjab.  Duration of study: May to July 2019. A total of 100 questionnaires were filled, 50 from Lahore and 50 from Bahawalpur. Information on demographics, family size, and mother in laws responses to her wish related to family size was noted. The influence of mother-in-law on family size was assessed by analyzing the family size of the daughter in law with regards to the mother in law wishes to have more children.   

Results: Overall, 57% of mother in law wanted more children, 66% of sons favored mothers, and 62% of mothers hold household budget. This study showed that in Lahore, the majority, 29 (58%) families had 0-2 children,  whereas, in Bahawalpur, 14 (28%) % had 0-2 children. (P-value =0.00) In Bahawalpur, 23(46%) of mother-in-law wanted their daughter-in-law to have more children versus 34(68%) in Lahore, (p value=0.02). In Bahawalpur, 33(66%) and in LHR 34(68%) of mother-in-law said that the bearing of more children will badly impact the health of their daughter-in-law. (p value=0.4).

Conclusion: Mother-in-law's wish to have more grandchildren has a significantly inverse influence on the family size of her daughter in law. The majority of the mother in-laws knew that more children could result in poor child care.  The majority of the mother-in-laws has control over the household budget and their son favored them.