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BEIJING, May 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — A more active role for men in fatherhood and domestic work could be the key lever for population rebound to halt the collapse in fertility rates around the world.
Men who become more involved in infant care and household responsibilities can contribute to family building by demonstrating that it can also improve their personal well-being and professional development.
Speaking at the 2026 Asia Pacific Reproductive Initiative Congress, renowned professor of reproductive endocrinologist Dominic de Ziegler said the world was facing a general collapse in fertility rates, defined as the number of children women are expected to have in their lifetime.
He said there are a variety of reasons for declining birth rates, including socio-economic pressures, but the root cause lies in the increasing number of women entering the workforce and delaying parenthood as their biological fertility declines.
“The inherent desire to have children does not diminish among many women pursuing education or career goals,” he explained. “But this interferes with the realization of this desire and often leads to abandoning hopes of creating a family.
“Now is the time for men to play a role in triggering a rebound in birth rates by supporting their partners in domestic responsibilities and parenting options.”
Professor de Ziegler said the age of mothers at first birth was steadily increasing globally. In Europe, it has increased by five years over the past five decades, while in China the average age of first-time mothers has almost reached 30.
He told the ASPIRE Congress that birth rates had fallen sharply in countries like Japan, South Korea and Italy, where women traditionally entered the workforce without a corresponding change in men’s roles within partnerships.
Professor de Ziegler noted that in the Nordic countries, where men would generally be more involved in domestic chores, fertility rates were higher.
“To the extent that men’s involvement in domestic life can influence birth rates, it represents a potential lever that can be used to encourage family formation,” he said.
“Men being more involved in raising children to support their partners is bound to take on new meaning and increasing importance.“
The American anthropologist Sarah Blaffer Hrdy argues in particular that the capacity of men to care for children is neither a modern invention nor the product of any awakened ideological tendency.
“Rather, men’s role in caring for infants is deeply rooted in the animal kingdom where males and females equally share the tasks of feeding their young while the other hunts for food.“
“Our long-term goal is to lay the foundations for education, particularly among young people in school, on fertility issues, with a renewed vision of men’s domestic roles.“
“Time will tell, but the hope of a rebound in birth rates is real and worth a try.“
“It will take a lot of inventiveness and adaptability to deal with the consequences of the family and fertility choices we make today, but there is no reason to think we are not up to the task.”
Ziegler’s professor is based in Cambodia where he has extensive experience in social and family issues. He is also a reproduction specialist at the Maison de la Fertility directed by Dr Chloé Tran in Paris.
He told the ASPIRE conference that studies have shown that fathers actively involved in newborn care experience hormonal changes that can improve personal satisfaction and bonding.
“Hormonal changes experienced in actively involved fathers may improve men’s interpersonal relationships and well-being, and even their professional fulfillment,” he said.
Around 3,000 fertility health specialists – including scientists, clinicians, nurses and counselors – are attending the ASPIRE conference at the China National Convention Center in Beijing.
For more information, visit https://www.aspire2026.com
Interview
Professor Dominique de Ziegler is available for an interview.
To arrange, please contact Trevor Gill, ASPIRE Conference Media Relations Officer.
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SOURCE ASPIRE Congress
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Source: PR Newswire
