Number of children wanted and expected by American physicians

Seven hundred thrity-five male and 93 female physicians indicated the number of children they would like to have; 713 and 89 indicated the number they expected to have. These questionnaire responses were related to demographic, educational, and personality test data gathered while the physicians were in medical school. The strongest predictor of both number of children wanted and expected was the size of the physician's own family of origin. Specialists in obstetrics and gynecology wanted and expected more children than those in other specialties.