Navigating Motherhood: How Family Structure and Maternity Support Shape Reproductive Choices of Working Women in India

The study aims to explore how family dynamics and workplace support jointly influence the autonomy and reproductive decision-making of married working women in India, using Work-Family Border Theory as the guiding framework. Collected data from 334 married working women from different sectors in India using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, independent samples t-tests, and MANOVA were used for data analysis. Married working women in nuclear families report significantly higher autonomy in reproductive decision-making and a stronger orientation toward career continuity alongside motherhood. Women in joint families more often conform to traditional reproductive expectations, experience stronger normative pressure to have children early, and report less control over family planning. The findings highlight the interplay between family context and institutional support, offering theoretical and practical guidance for developing inclusive, family-sensitive reproductive and workplace policies. By using quantitative data from married working women, the study extends the findings on reproductive choices and gendered development in India. Subject classification codes: J13; J24