'This child is a planned baby': Skilled migrant fathers and reproductive decision-making

Aim. This study analyses discourses that migrant fathers in New Zealand draw on to explain their decision to have a child. Background. Little is known about migrant men's reproductive decisions in the context of contemporary/active fatherhood. Design. A discourse analytic research study. Methods. Qualitative research was conducted in 2009 where Chinese and Indian migrant men took part in focus groups. Results/Findings. Fathers drew on two key discourses to understand how they became fathers. The first was fatherhood as a financial decision and the second was fatherhood as a natural process. These two discourses are not always congruent. Conclusion. Understanding the discourses that shape men's decisions to have a child, will enhance nurses' capacity to provide appropriate care and support for migrant families.