Why women want children: defining the meaning of desire for children and the construction of an index.

Many people view procreation as a purpose in life, justifying this idea by pointing towards a woman's natural biological characteristics. However, much of the literature supporting this position is void of studies that examine African-American women's desire for children. Therefore, the primary aims of this article are: 1) to review the literature on parenthood motivation; and 2) to describe the development, validation and reliability of the Modified Index of Parenthood Motivation. Within the first sample of 31 Black women, who served to confirm the Modified Index of Parenthood Motivation (MIPM), Wesley reported a reliability alpha coefficient of .765 for the MIPM. The second sample showed an alpha coefficient of.792, among a sample of 98 Black women of childbearing age. The MIPM offers investigators an opportunity to examine desire for children among women of African descent. Further research is needed to understand the impact of desire for children better among women with chronic illnesses such as HIV.