Women's reproductive span: a systematic scoping review

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Health
• Demography
• Sociology

Background:

• A woman's reproductive span, her childbearing years, significantly influences reproductive decisions.
• Existing literature shows considerable variation in how this span is defined, measured, and understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review of the literature on women's reproductive span.
• To identify and summarize definitions, trends, and determinants of women's reproductive span.
• To explore implications for population demographics and assisted reproduction.

Main Methods:

• A systematic scoping review was conducted, searching multiple databases (MEDLINE, PubMed, JSTOR, CINAHL, Web of Science, Scopus) and unpublished sources.
• Sixty-seven reports published between 1980 and 2020 were included.
• Data were extracted and conceptually synthesized, grouping studies by biological, effective, and social aspects of reproductive span.

Main Results:

• The review identified a broad range of definitions for women's reproductive span, categorized as biological, effective, and social.
• Significant variations in temporal trends and determinants were observed across these categories.
• Few studies explored the implications of reproductive span on population demographics or assisted reproduction.

Conclusions:

• There is a lack of consensus on the definition, trends, and determinants of women's reproductive span.
• Further research and stakeholder collaboration are necessary to establish core definitions and understand implications for fertility care and policy.
• Future research should explore linkages between reproductive spans, their determinants, and the need for assisted reproduction.