Family formation after the first employment: a group of Mexican resident doctors expectations

Objectives: identify the Family Medicine residents’ expectations about the formation of their own families after obtaining their first employment as specialists. Design: qualitative and exploratory study. Material and Methods: self applied questionnaire with an open question in a group of 25 residents registered to academic units of the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS), Mexican Institute of Social Security for Public Servants (ISSSTE) and Health Ministry (SSA) in Mexico City. By the end of the residence, would you like to form a family and have children? Yes, No and reasons. Results: Reasons given by the group of women that answered yes: to avoid risks during pregnancy, as fulfillment, as part of the life cycle and as a live expectation, later they will have time. Reasons given by the group of men that answered yes: stability, age, as personal growth. Reasons given by the group of women that answered no: economic stability, to continue studying, enjoying life and other plans. Reasons given by the group of men that answered no: to continue studying, economic and job stability. Conclusions: the gender differences are evident, in the yes answer, women gave more importance to the reproductive aspect and risks, while men gave more value to stability and personal growth; in the no answer their expectations were very similar.