Abstract This study examines whether partner relationship quality influences fertility, and if so, in which direction and which aspects of relationship quality are relevant. Competing hypotheses are tested. One hypothesis assumes that higher relationship quality leads to higher rates of childbearing, as a high-quality relationship offers the most favourable environment to raise children. An opposite hypothesis expects that lower relationship quality leads to higher rates of childbearing, as couples might have children in order to improve their relationship. Hazard analyses are performed using three waves of the Panel Study on Social Integration in the Netherlands. Findings indicate that positive as well as negative interaction between partners has a negative effect on first- and higher-order birth rates. This suggests that couples are most likely to have children if they do not have too much negative interaction, but neither interact in a very positive way. Value consensus negatively influences higher-order birth rates. ; Resume Cette etude examine l?influence de la qualite de la relation avec le partenaire sur la fecondite, et cherche a identifier les aspects de la relation les plus pertinents par rapport a cette question. Differentes hypotheses sont explorees. La premiere postule que plus la qualite de la relation est bonne, plus la fecondite est elevee, car une relation de bonne qualite offre le contexte le plus favorable pour elever des enfants. A l?oppose, une deuxieme hypothese postule que plus la qualite de la relation est mauvaise, plus la fecondite est elevee, car les couples pourraient avoir des enfants pour ameliorer leur relation. Des modeles de duree sont utilises pour analyser les trois vagues du Panel d?Etude de l?Integration Sociale aux Pays-Bas. Il apparait que les interactions positives, de meme que les interactions negatives entre partenaires ont une influence negative sur les naissances de rang 1 et sur les suivantes. Ce resultat suggere que les couples ont le plus de chances d?avoir des ...