Profile of young university students and their perceptions of motherhood and fatherhood.

Background: It is necessary to reflect on the social, cultural, educational, and symbolic meanings of the experience of motherhood and fatherhood among young people and to know their concerns, challenges, anxieties, and fears. Objective: To analyze young university students' perceptions of motherhood and fatherhood. Methodology: Quantitative, exploratory research. Data were collected using a questionnaire on motherhood and fatherhood and analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics, version 24.0. Results: A total of 389 questionnaires were applied. The analysis showed that students are mainly concerned with the economic issues (93.2%) and indifferent to the institutional support offered during their undergraduate studies. With regard to the most worrying aspects of motherhood and fatherhood, statistically significant associations were found between gender and economic factors (p = 0.090) and personal or professional development (p = 0.020). No other statistically significant associations were found. Conclusion: There is a need for coordination among the various sectors involved in motherhood and fatherhood in order to educate and empower university students for planning strategies as a health protection factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]