causes of fertility rates
Some Causes of Fertility Rates Movements
Claire Norville
Rocio Gomez
Robert L. Brown
ABSTRACT
Fertility patterns are different between countries and over time. Many different factors can affect the fertility rate. This paper will discuss the different factors that have an effect on the fertility rate. Some are economic while some are social. The economic factors will be based in the theories of Richard Easterlin, Diane
Macunovich, Butz & Ward, and John Ermisch. The social factors that will be developed here are related to race, education, religion, contraceptive use, abortion, immigration, marriage, cohabitation, divorce, age of marriage, female participation in the labor force, teenage fertility and government programs.
Some Causes of Fertility Rate Movements
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1. INTRODUCTION
A fertility rate is a measure of the average number of children a woman will have during her childbearing years. The fertility patterns are different between countries and over time.
Many different factors can affect fertility rates. Many of these factors are difficult to measure because they involve subjectivity and some of them may not apply across cultures.
This makes it especially difficult to find variables that can be used to predict future fertility rates. During the peak years of the baby boom (in the late 1950’s), the fertility rate was 3.91 in
Canada and 3.77 in the U.S.. By the 1970’s it had fallen below 2 in both countries. While the U.S. rate went back up to 2.08, Canada’s rate kept falling to 1.52 in 1999. Such differences in fertility exist even in countries as similar as Canada and the U.S.. Many developed countries in Europe are also below the replacement level of 2.1, but the U.S. is still near this rate. This is a huge gap, which raises the question: “Why this big difference?”. Fertility rates are still at very high levels in Africa and some Arabic countries, followed next by the countries of Central and South America. Lower rates
Claire Norville
Rocio Gomez
Robert L. Brown
ABSTRACT
Fertility patterns are different between countries and over time. Many different factors can affect the fertility rate. This paper will discuss the different factors that have an effect on the fertility rate. Some are economic while some are social. The economic factors will be based in the theories of Richard Easterlin, Diane
Macunovich, Butz & Ward, and John Ermisch. The social factors that will be developed here are related to race, education, religion, contraceptive use, abortion, immigration, marriage, cohabitation, divorce, age of marriage, female participation in the labor force, teenage fertility and government programs.
Some Causes of Fertility Rate Movements
-1-
1. INTRODUCTION
A fertility rate is a measure of the average number of children a woman will have during her childbearing years. The fertility patterns are different between countries and over time.
Many different factors can affect fertility rates. Many of these factors are difficult to measure because they involve subjectivity and some of them may not apply across cultures.
This makes it especially difficult to find variables that can be used to predict future fertility rates. During the peak years of the baby boom (in the late 1950’s), the fertility rate was 3.91 in
Canada and 3.77 in the U.S.. By the 1970’s it had fallen below 2 in both countries. While the U.S. rate went back up to 2.08, Canada’s rate kept falling to 1.52 in 1999. Such differences in fertility exist even in countries as similar as Canada and the U.S.. Many developed countries in Europe are also below the replacement level of 2.1, but the U.S. is still near this rate. This is a huge gap, which raises the question: “Why this big difference?”. Fertility rates are still at very high levels in Africa and some Arabic countries, followed next by the countries of Central and South America. Lower rates
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