{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,18]],"date-time":"2026-08-18T03:02:03Z","timestamp":1787022123303,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":45,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,5,30]],"date-time":"2023-05-30T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1685404800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS ONE"],"abstract":"\n Introduction<\/jats:title>\n Rohingya- the Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals (FDMN)- are largely characterized by a high total fertility rate (TFR) and a low contraceptive prevalence rate. This study aimed to explore the reasons behind their high fertility behavior by utilizing the Theory of Planned Behavior.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Data and method<\/jats:title>\n \n We adopted a cross-sectional qualitative research approach. Fifteen semi-structured, face-to-face in-depth interviews were conducted with the Rohingya husbands, wives, and community leaders (\n Majhi<\/jats:italic>\n and Imam\/\n Khatib<\/jats:italic>\n ) living in Camps 1 and 2 of Ukhiya Refugee Camp, Cox\u2019s Bazar, Bangladesh. We analyzed the qualitative data using the thematic analysis approach.\n <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Results<\/jats:title>\n \n The Muslim-majority FDMN predominantly constructed the fertility outcome as the will and order of Allah. On the one hand, the Rohingya parents highlighted various religious, political, economic, and social advantages of having more children, especially sons. On the other hand, beliefs about religious restriction, fear of side effects, and community pressure against contraception sustained the reality of the low contraceptive prevalence rate in the community. Alarmingly, the Rohingya religious leaders and mass people were found highly politically motivated to continue the practice of high fertility with a view to \u2019\n expanding the Rohingya community\u2019<\/jats:italic>\n or \u2019\n to increase Muslim soldiers\u2019<\/jats:italic>\n , so that they may fight back and take control of their ancestors\u2019 place in Myanmar in the future. Furthermore, these pronatalist attitudes and beliefs translated into high TFR through various high-fertility-supportive social norms and practices widely prevalent in the Rohingya community. These include child marriage, gendered division of labor, women\u2019s subordinate nature, the\n Purdah<\/jats:italic>\n system, and joint-family members\u2019 support during childbirth and rearing.\n <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n Religion, ethnic identity, and the unique political context and experiences of the Rohingya people jointly explain their high fertility behavior. This study warrants the urgency of initiating social and behavior change communication programs to change the religiopolitically-motivated high-fertility notions that prevailed in the Rohingya community.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0285675","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,5,30]],"date-time":"2023-05-30T13:31:05Z","timestamp":1685453465000},"page":"e0285675","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":11,"title":["Understanding fertility behavior of the Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals in Bangladesh: A qualitative study"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"18","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8728-5250","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Md. Anwer","family":"Hossain","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4615-5086","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Mohammad Bellal","family":"Hossain","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,5,30]]},"reference":[{"key":"pone.0285675.ref001","unstructured":"United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Population Factsheet, Bangladesh, Cox\u2019s Bazar\u2014as of 15 April 2019 [Internet]; 2019 (accessed 15 June 2022). https:\/\/data2.unhcr.org\/en\/documents\/details\/69061"},{"key":"pone.0285675.ref002","article-title":"Marriage and sexual and reproductive health of Rohingya adolescents and youth in Bangladesh: a qualitative study","author":"S Ainul","year":"2018","journal-title":"Population Council"},{"key":"pone.0285675.ref003","unstructured":"Chowdhury MAK, Billah SM, Karim F, Khan ANS, Islam S, Arifeen SE. Report on demographic profiling and needs assessment of maternal and child health (MCH) care for the Rohingya refugee population in Cox\u2019s Bazar, Bangladesh. 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