1.  Peer Reviewed Title: Fertility intentions and reproductive health care needs of people living with HIV in Cape Town, South Africa: implications for integrating reproductive health and HIV care services. Author: Cooper D; Moodley J; Zweigenthal V; Bekker LG; Shah I; Myer L Source: AIDS and Behavior. 2009 Jun;13(Suppl 1):S38-S46. Abstract: Tailoring sexual and reproductive health services to meet the needs of people living with the human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV) is a growing concern but there are few insights into these issues where HIV is most prevalent. This cross-sectional study investigated the fertility intentions and associated health care needs of 459 women and men, not sampled as intimate partners of each other, living with HIV in Cape Town, South Africa. An almost equal proportion of women (55%) and men (43%) living with HIV, reported not intending to have children as were open to the possibility of having children (45 and 57%, respectively). Overall, greater intentions to have children were associated with being male, having fewer children, living in an informal settlement and use of antiretroviral therapy. There were important gender differences in the determinants of future childbearing intentions, with being on HAART strongly associated with women's fertility intentions. Gender differences were also apparent in participants' key reasons for wanting children. A minority of participants had discussed their reproductive intentions and related issues with HIV health care providers. There is an urgent need for intervention models to integrate HIV care with sexual and reproduction health counseling and services that account for the diverse reproductive needs of these populations. Language: English Keywords: SOUTH AFRICA | RESEARCH REPORT | URBAN POPULATION | PERSONS LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS | FERTILITY PREFERENCES | REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH | HEALTH SERVICES | NEEDS | COUNSELING | ANTIRETROVIRAL THERAPY | PREVENTION OF MOTHER-TO-CHILD TRANSMISSION | FERTILITY DETERMINANTS | SEX FACTORS | HIV/FP INTEGRATION | INTEGRATED PROGRAMS | Developing Countries | Africa, Southern | Africa, Sub Saharan | Africa | Population Characteristics | Demographic Factors | Population | HIV Infections | Viral Diseases | Diseases | Fertility | Population Dynamics | Health | Delivery of Health Care | Economic Factors | Clinic Activities | Program Activities | Programs | Organization and Administration | HIV | Disease Transmission Control | Prevention and Control Document Number: 341901 |
| 2. Peer Reviewed Title: The role of biological fertility in predicting family size. Author: Joffe M; Key J; Best N; Jensen TK; Keiding N Source: Human Reproduction. 2009 Aug;24(8):1999-2006. Abstract: BACKGROUND: It is plausible that a couple's ability to achieve the desired number of children is limited by biological fertility, especially if childbearing is postponed. Family size has declined and semen quality may have deteriorated in much of Europe, although studies have found an increase rather than a decrease in couple fertility. METHODS: Using four high-quality European datasets, we took the reported time to pregnancy (TTP) as the predictor variable; births reported as following contraceptive failure were an additional category. The outcome variable was final or near-final family size. Potential confounders were maternal age when unprotected sex began prior to the first birth, and maternal smoking. Desired family size was available in only one of the datasets. RESULTS: Couples with a TTP of at least 12 months tended to have smaller families, with odds ratios for the risk of not having a second child approximately 1.8, and for the risk of not having a third child approximately 1.6. Below 12 months no association was observed. Findings were generally consistent across datasets. There was also a more than 2-fold risk of not achieving the desired family size if TTP was 12 months or more for the first child. CONCLUSIONS: Within the limits of the available data quality, family size appears to be predicted by biological fertility, even after adjustment for maternal age, if the woman was at least 20 years old when the couple's first attempt at conception started. The contribution of behavioural factors to this result also needs to be investigated. Language: English Keywords: EUROPE | RESEARCH REPORT | DATA ANALYSIS | STATISTICAL STUDIES | COUPLES | FERTILITY DETERMINANTS | FAMILY SIZE, COMPLETED | FAMILY SIZE, DESIRED | FIRST PREGNANCY INTERVALS | CONTRACEPTION FAILURE | REPRODUCTIVE BEHAVIOR | MATERNAL AGE | TOBACCO USE | Developed Countries | Research Methodology | Studies | Family Characteristics | Family and Household | Sociocultural Factors | Fertility | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Population | Family Size | Pregnancy Intervals | Fertility Measurements | Contraceptive Usage | Contraception | Family Planning | Parental Age | Age Factors | Population Characteristics | Behavior Document Number: 342795 |
| 3. Peer Reviewed Title: High fertility in city suburbs: compositional or contextual effects? La fecondite elevee dans les banlieues urbaines: effets de composition ou de contexte? Author: Kulu H; Boyle PJ Source: European Journal of Population. 2009 May;25(2):157-174. Abstract: Fertility rates are known to be higher in city suburbs. One interpretation is that the suburban 'context' influences the behaviour of individuals who reside there while an alternative is that the 'composition' of the suburban population explains the higher fertility levels. Furthermore, suburban in-migrants who intend to have children may have a significant influence on suburban fertility rates. Using Finnish longitudinal register data we show that fertility rates are higher in the suburbs and rural areas and lower in the cities. Fertility variation across these residential contexts decreases significantly after controlling for women's demographic and socio-economic characteristics. However, it does not disappear entirely suggesting that the local context may have some influence on fertility. While movers to suburbs do display higher fertility levels than non-migrant residents, their overall impact is not great because they form a small share of the suburban population. Language: English Keywords: FINLAND | RESEARCH REPORT | EVENT HISTORY ANALYSIS | WOMEN | REPRODUCTIVE BEHAVIOR | FERTILITY DETERMINANTS | GEOGRAPHIC FACTORS | SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS | INTERNAL MIGRATION | RESIDENTIAL MOBILITY | RESIDENTIAL SELECTION | Developed Countries | Europe, Northern | Europe | Demographic Analysis | Research Methodology | Demographic Factors | Population | Fertility | Population Dynamics | Socioeconomic Factors | Economic Factors | Migration | Residence Characteristics | Population Distribution Document Number: 340173 |
| 4. Peer Reviewed Title: WEALTH, INTELLIGENCE, POLITICS AND GLOBAL FERTILITY DIFFERENTIALS. Author: Meisenberg G Source: Journal of Biosocial Science. 2009 Mar 27;41:519-535. Abstract: SummaryDemographic trends in today's world are dominated by large fertility differentials between nations, with 'less developed' nations having higher fertility than the more advanced nations. The present study investigates whether these fertility differences are related primarily to indicators of economic development, the intellectual level of the population, or political modernity in the form of liberal democracy. Results obtained with multiple regression, path models and latent variable models are compared. Both log-transformed GDP and measures of intelligence independently reduce fertility across all methods, whereas the effects of liberal democracy are weak and inconsistent. At present rates of fertility and mortality and in the absence of changes within countries, the average IQ of the young world population would decline by 1.34 points per decade and the average per capita income would decline by 0.79% per year. Language: English Keywords: GLOBAL | RESEARCH REPORT | MATHEMATICAL MODEL | STATISTICAL REGRESSION | POPULATION | FERTILITY RATE | DIFFERENTIAL FERTILITY | POLITICAL FACTORS | ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT | DEMOCRACY | GROSS NATIONAL PRODUCT | FERTILITY DETERMINANTS | DEATH RATE | INTELLIGENCE | Theoretical Models | Research Methodology | Data Analysis | Birth Rate | Fertility Measurements | Fertility | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Sociocultural Factors | Economic Factors | Political Systems | Production | Macroeconomic Factors | Mortality | Personality | Psychological Factors | Behavior Document Number: 341480 |
| 5. Peer Reviewed Title: Reproduction in upheaval: Ethnic-specific fertility responses to societal turbulence in Kazakhstan. Author: Agadjanian V; Dommaraju P; Glick JE Source: Population Studies. 2008 Jul;62(2):211-233. Abstract: This study contributes to the literature on demographic adjustments to societal crises by examining ethnic-specific probabilities of having first, second, and third marital births in late-twentieth-century Kazakhstan. Discrete-time logit models, employing data from the 1995 and 1999 Kazakhstan Demographic and Health Surveys, are fitted. The results show that the probability of a first birth responded to societal cataclysms of the post-Soviet transition, but this response was most manifest and enduring in the ethnic group that had been most demographically advanced and that also found itself most politically and economically vulnerable. While ethnic differences in the probabilities of second and third births were generally more pronounced than in the probability of first birth, the pace of their post-Soviet decline was relatively uniform across all ethnic groups. (author's) Language: English Keywords: KAZAKHSTAN | RESEARCH REPORT | DEMOGRAPHIC AND HEALTH SURVEYS | THEORETICAL MODELS | SOCIAL PROBLEMS | POLITICAL FACTORS | ECONOMIC FACTORS | FERTILITY DETERMINANTS | FERTILITY CHANGES | ETHNIC GROUPS | FIRST BIRTH | FIRST BIRTH INTERVALS | Asia, Central | Asia | Developing Countries | Demographic Surveys | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Population | Research Methodology | Sociocultural Factors | Fertility | Cultural Background | Population Characteristics | Pregnancy History | Fertility Measurements | Birth Intervals Document Number: 327527 |
| 6. Title: Birth-spacing, fertility and neonatal mortality in India: Dynamics, frailty, and fecundity. Author: Bhalotra S; van Soest A Source: Journal of Econometrics. 2008 Apr;143(2):274-290. Abstract: Using microdata on 30,000 childbirths in India and dynamic panel data models, we analyse causal effects of birth spacing on subsequent neonatal mortality and of mortality on subsequent birth intervals, controlling for unobserved heterogeneity. Right censoring is accounted for by jointly estimating a fertility equation, identified by using data on sterilization. We find evidence of frailty, fecundity, and causal effects in both directions. Birth intervals explain only a limited share of the correlation between neonatal mortality of successive children in a family. We predict that for every neonatal death, 0.37 additional children are born, of whom 0.30 survive. (author's) Language: English Keywords: INDIA | RESEARCH REPORT | THEORETICAL MODELS | CORRELATION STUDIES | BIRTH SPACING | FERTILITY DETERMINANTS | NEONATAL MORTALITY | ESTIMATION TECHNIQUES | Developing Countries | Asia, Southern | Asia | Research Methodology | Statistical Studies | Studies | Family Planning | Fertility | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Population | Infant Mortality | Mortality Document Number: 327065 |
7.  Peer Reviewed Title: On the structural value of children and its implication on intended fertility in Bulgaria. Author: Buhler C Source: Demographic Research. 2008 Jun 24;18(20):569-610. Abstract: Personal networks are receiving increasing recognition as structural determinants of fertility. However, the network perspective also helps to explain personal motivations for having children. Using theories of interpersonal exchange, social capital, and the value of children, it is argued in this article that children can substantively improve their parents' social networks. Individuals perceive this potential advantageous development as a structural benefit and consider this value in their reproductive decisions. This argument is empirically explored with data from Bulgaria, collected in 2002. The results document the presence of structural evaluations among subjectively perceived childrelated benefits. Moreover, structural evaluations matter for the reproductive decisionmaking of Bulgarian citizens. Women's fertility intentions are supported by the prospect that a child will bring their parents and relatives closer or will improve their security at old age. Males' intentions are closely associated with the expectation that a child will provide support when they are old. (author's) Language: English Keywords: BULGARIA | RESEARCH REPORT | SURVEYS | PARENTS | CHILDREN | SOCIAL NETWORKS | MOTIVATION | FERTILITY DETERMINANTS | FERTILITY PREFERENCES | CHILD WORTH | INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS | Europe, Southeastern | Europe | Developing Countries | Sampling Studies | Studies | Research Methodology | Family Relationships | Family Characteristics | Family and Household | Sociocultural Factors | Youth | Age Factors | Population Characteristics | Demographic Factors | Population | Friends and Relatives | Psychological Factors | Behavior | Fertility | Population Dynamics | Microeconomic Factors | Economic Factors Document Number: 327505 |
| 8. Title: Fertility transition: forecast for demography. Author: Caputo M; Nicotra M; Gloria-Bottini E Source: Human Biology. 2008 Aug;80(4):359-76. Abstract: By the end of the 20th century most industrialized nations had undergone the so-called fertility transition, characterized by a reduction in fertility to below replacement level and a delay in age at initiation of child-bearing. An emerging concern is the severe economic and social consequences of this demographic decline. We present an overview of fertility changes in Italy in the second half of the 20th century and a mathematical model that may provide projections for the future of the demographic situation. Starting in 1950 the increment of the number of children born in Italy is initially positive; however, beginning in 1965 the trend suddenly becomes negative, and this negative trend further increased in 1975. A slight improvement is observed in 1980, followed by a stable situation beginning in 1987. Relevant socioeconomic and cultural events in Italy coincide with these variations in the fertility trend. Malnutrition, which had been endemic for centuries in some areas of central and southern Italy, disappeared rather abruptly in early 1960. The improvement in the economic situation was also associated with a decrease in illiteracy and with many sociocultural changes, with the emergence of new demands that decreased propensity for childbearing. The additional deceleration observed in 1975 corresponds to the diffusion of contraceptive procedures. The progression of sociocultural changes has led to a progressive liberation of women from the biological burden of childbearing. Two phenomena seem relevant in this context: women's emerging interest in entering the workforce and the possibility to disconnect sex from childbearing. The social function of feminism has overwhelmed the primary function of survival and diffusion of the species, giving rise to relevant and worrying demographic effects. However, the modern woman has an unconscious memory of her primary biological role, depending on both her genetic structure and cultural heritage, that should bring about a change in the present strong tendency to demographic decline. The basic notion of memory functions is widely recognized in sciences, for example, in the evolutionary theory of Darwin. Here, we introduce into the equations governing population growth a memory mechanism and a perturbation, and we estimate the reactions of the system to perturbations caused by environmental changes and subsequent delayed effects, such as those that appear in the birth rate beginning in 1965 and 1975. The mathematical modeling of the effects of perturbations of the fertility rate in the Italian population, with the introduction of a mathematical memory formalism, suggests that the effect is strongly reduced, with a relaxation time of about 10 years when the fertility rate approaches a stable value. Language: English Keywords: ITALY | HISTORICAL REVIEW | MATHEMATICAL MODEL | DEMOGRAPHIC TRANSITION | FERTILITY DECLINE | SOCIOCULTURAL FACTORS | SOCIOECONOMIC FACTORS | DELAYED CHILDBEARING | FERTILITY DETERMINANTS | Developed Countries | Europe, Southern | Europe | Theoretical Models | Research Methodology | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Population | Fertility Changes | Fertility | Economic Factors | Reproductive Behavior Document Number: 342321 |
| 9. Peer Reviewed Title: Italy: Delayed adaptation of social institutions to changes in family behaviour. Author: De Rose A; Racioppi F; Zanatta AL Source: Demographic Research. 2008 Jul 1;19(19):665-704. Abstract: Considering its very low fertility and high age at childbearing, Italy stands alone in the European context and can hardly be compared with other countries, even those in the Southern region. The fertility decline occurred without any radical change in family formation. Individuals still choose (religious) marriage for leaving their parental home and rates of marital dissolution and subsequent step-family formation are low. Marriage is being postponed and fewer people marry. The behaviours of young people are particularly alarming. There is a delay in all life cycle stages: end of education, entry into the labour market, exit from the parental family, entry into union, and managing an independent household. Changes in family formation and childbearing are constrained and slowed down by a substantial delay (or even failure) with which the institutional and cultural framework has adapted to changes in economic and social conditions, in particular to the growth of the service sector, the increase in female employment and the female level of education. In a Catholic country that has been led for almost half a century by a political party with a Catholic ideology, the paucity of attention to childhood and youth seems incomprehensible. Social policies focus on marriage-based families already formed and on the phases of life related to pregnancy, delivery, and the first months of a newborn's life, while forming a family and childbearing choices are considered private affairs and neglected. (author's) Language: English Keywords: ITALY | RESEARCH REPORT | FERTILITY DETERMINANTS | FERTILITY DECLINE | MARRIAGE PATTERNS | MARRIAGE POSTPONEMENT | SOCIOECONOMIC FACTORS | YOUTH | FAMILY CHARACTERISTICS | EMPLOYMENT | EDUCATIONAL STATUS | WOMEN | RELIGIOUS ASPECTS | Developed Countries | Europe, Southern | Europe | Fertility | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Population | Fertility Changes | Marriage | Nuptiality | Economic Factors | Age Factors | Population Characteristics | Family and Household | Sociocultural Factors | Macroeconomic Factors | Socioeconomic Status | Religion Document Number: 327727 |
| 10. Peer Reviewed Title: Spain: Short on children and short on family policies. Author: Delgado M; Meil G; Zamora Lopez F Source: Demographic Research. 2008 Jul 1;19(27):1059-1104. Abstract: Spain's total fertility rate has more than halved since 1975, when it was 2.8, to the present 1.3 (the lowest rate on record, 1.2, was reached in 1995). At the same time, the mean age at first childbirth has grown continually, seriously hindering any sustained recovery of fertility. Cohort fertility, in turn, has declined uninterruptedly since the 1941 cohort, and according to all estimates, this will drop to 1.6 for women born in the 1960s. A downturn in nuptiality, which has not been offset by a rise in consensual unions, along with the prevalence of contraceptives and abortion, have contributed substantially to falling fertility. Underlying this decrease is the profound cultural, social, and economic change that has raised the perceived costs of leaving the parental home and having children. The lack of any explicit family policy or transfers to compensate for such costs has reinforced that perception. (author's) Language: English Keywords: SPAIN | RESEARCH REPORT | HISTORICAL REVIEW | FERTILITY CHANGES | FERTILITY DETERMINANTS | FERTILITY DECLINE | CONTRACEPTION | ABORTION | PREVALENCE | SOCIAL CHANGE | ECONOMIC FACTORS | FAMILY POLICY | Europe, Southwestern | Europe | Developed Countries | Fertility | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Population | Family Planning | Fertility Control, Postconception | Measurement | Research Methodology | Sociocultural Factors | Social Policy | Policy | Political Factors Document Number: 327673 Notification |
| 11. Peer Reviewed Title: Fertility declines have stalled in many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Author: Doskoch P Source: International Family Planning Perspectives. 2008 Sep;34(3):149-150. Abstract: During the past four decades, the total fertility rate (TFR) in the developing world has fallen by about half, from around six births per woman to about three. However, a new analysis suggests that in much of Sub-Saharan Africa, the transition from high to low fertility has stalled. In two-thirds of countries in the region, there was no meaningful change in the TFR during the interval between the two most recent Demographic and Health Surveys. In contrast, fertility has continued to decline in Latin America, Asia and North Africa. The study used data from 40 developing countries for which multiple Demographic and Health Surveys have been conducted since 1991. The key measures of interest were the TFR in the three years before a given survey, and the absolute rate of fertility decline per year between surveys. On average, the most recent survey for the 40 countries (22 in Sub-Saharan Africa, 11 in Asia and North Africa and seven in Latin America) was conducted in 2003, and the previous survey in 1997. For 29 of the countries, data from three surveys were available; on average, these surveys were conducted in 1992, 1998 and 2004. The former Soviet republics were omitted from the study because of their "unique demographic and political history," and Eritrea because the results of its 1999 survey were affected by the country's war with Ethiopia. In addition, surveys conducted in 1999 in the Dominican Republic and Nigeria were omitted because of a small sample size and underreporting of events, respectively; however, surveys conducted in other years were used for those countries. (excerpt) Language: English Keywords: AFRICA, SUB SAHARAN | RESEARCH REPORT | DEMOGRAPHIC AND HEALTH SURVEYS | CROSS-CULTURAL COMPARISONS | WOMEN IN DEVELOPMENT | FERTILITY DECLINE | FERTILITY CHANGES | FERTILITY DETERMINANTS | Africa | Developing Countries | Demographic Surveys | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Population | Comparative Studies | Studies | Research Methodology | Economic Development | Economic Factors | Fertility Document Number: 322644 |
| 12. Peer Reviewed Title: The path to replacement fertility in Egypt: Acceptance, preference, and achievement. Author: El-Zeini LO Source: Studies in Family Planning. 2008 Sep;39(3):161-176. Abstract: This study draws upon data from the 2004 Slow Fertility Transition survey, a follow-up to the 2003 Egypt Interim Demographic and Health Survey, to investigate obstacles to achieving replacement fertility. To account for the likelihood of embracing the two-child ideal, the analysis adopts a framework with the acronym APA: Acceptance of the two-child ideal, Preference for that ideal, and Achievement of that preference. The framework posits a hierarchy among the three and hypothesizes that each depends on a set of factors, including gender stratification, economic expectations, perception of the costs and benefits of having children, and the costs of fertility regulation. The results indicate that son preference and the perceived low cost of childrearing are major obstacles to the acceptance of the two-child family. Son preference, other discriminatory gender attitudes, optimistic economic expectations, and fear of contraceptive side effects are associated with a low preference for and ambivalence about having only two children. Given a decisive preference, lower socioeconomic status and strong son preference are the major obstacles to the achievement of the two-child ideal. (author's) Language: English Keywords: EGYPT | RESEARCH REPORT | SURVEYS | POPULATION REPLACEMENT | FAMILY SIZE, IDEAL | CHILD WORTH | PERCEPTION | SEX PREFERENCE | FEMALE ROLE | FERTILITY DETERMINANTS | FERTILITY PREFERENCES | DEMOGRAPHIC TRANSITION | SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS | Developing Countries | Africa, North | Africa | Sampling Studies | Studies | Research Methodology | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Population | Family Size | Family Characteristics | Family and Household | Sociocultural Factors | Microeconomic Factors | Economic Factors | Psychological Factors | Behavior | Value Orientation | Social Behavior | Fertility | Socioeconomic Factors Document Number: 328153 |
| 13. Peer Reviewed Title: Rapid fertility decline in Iran: Analysis of intermediate variables. Author: Erfani A; McQuillan K Source: Journal of Biosocial Science. 2008 May;40(3):459-478. Abstract: The remarkable decline in fertility in Iran, which saw the total fertility rate fall from 7 children per woman in 1986 to 2 in 2000, has received only limited analysis in the demographic literature. Using the 2000 Iran Demographic and Health Survey and Bongaarts' age-specific fertility model, this paper examines the role of the major proximate determinants of fertility in bringing about the rapid decrease in fertility in Iran. The analysis indicates that contraception had the largest effect on fertility, accounting for 61% of the reduction in fertility from its theoretical maximum. The fertility-inhibiting effect of marriage patterns accounted for an additional 31% reduction, and was most important among the young. Further analysis of contraceptive behaviour suggests that the current period fertility rate of 2-0 children per woman is an outcome of a synchronization of delaying and spacing of births among younger women with stopping of childbearing among women in the middle and late reproductive ages. The policy implications of the results are discussed. (author's) Language: English Keywords: IRAN | RESEARCH REPORT | DEMOGRAPHIC AND HEALTH SURVEYS | THEORETICAL MODELS | AGE SPECIFIC FERTILITY RATE | FERTILITY DECLINE | FERTILITY DETERMINANTS | CONTRACEPTIVE USAGE | MARRIAGE PATTERNS | BIRTH SPACING | Developing Countries | Middle East | Demographic Surveys | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Population | Research Methodology | Fertility Rate | Birth Rate | Fertility Measurements | Fertility | Fertility Changes | Contraception | Family Planning | Marriage | Nuptiality Document Number: 325414 |
| 14. Peer Reviewed Title: Overview Chapter 5: Determinants of family formation and childbearing during the societal transition in Central and Eastern Europe. Author: Frejka T Source: Demographic Research. 2008 Jul 1;19(7):139-170. Abstract: Societal conditions for early and high rates of childbearing were replaced by conditions generating late and low levels of fertility common in Western countries. Central among factors shaping the latter behaviour (job insecurity, unstable partnership relationships, expensive housing, and profound changes in norms, values and attitudes) were the following: increasing proportions of young people were acquiring advanced education, a majority of women were gainfully employed, yet women were performing most household maintenance and childrearing duties. Two theories prevailed to explain what caused changes in family formation and fertility trends. One argues that the economic and social crises were the principal causes. The other considered the diffusion of western norms, values and attitudes as the prime factors of change. Neither reveals the root cause: the replacement of state socialist regimes with economic and political institutions of contemporary capitalism. The extraordinarily low period TFRs around 2000 were the result of low fertility of older women born around 1960 overlapping with low fertility of young women born during the 1970s. (author's) Language: English Keywords: EUROPE | RESEARCH REPORT | FAMILY SIZE | FERTILITY DECLINE | TOTAL FERTILITY RATE | FERTILITY DETERMINANTS | DELAYED CHILDBEARING | SOCIAL CHANGE | FEMALE ROLE | ECONOMIC FACTORS | POLITICAL FACTORS | SOCIAL POLICY | POPULATION POLICY | Developed Countries | Family Characteristics | Family and Household | Sociocultural Factors | Fertility Changes | Fertility | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Population | Fertility Rate | Birth Rate | Fertility Measurements | Reproductive Behavior | Social Behavior | Behavior | Policy Document Number: 327717 |
| 15. Title: Spousal agreement on reproductive preferences in sub-Saharan Africa. Author: Gebreselassie T Source: Calverton, Maryland, Macro International, MEASURE DHS, 2008 May. 44 p. (DHS Analytical Studies No. 10) Abstract: This study investigates spousal agreement on reproductive preferences (fertility preferences and ideal number of children) in sub-Saharan Africa. The analysis uses matched couples' data from 14 Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) carried out between 1999 and 2004. Additionally, pooled data from the 14 countries are used to explore the aggregate effect of different levels of polygyny (high and low) on spousal agreement on reproductive preferences. Agreement between partners/spouses to have another child ranges from 36 percent in Namibia to 90 percent in Chad. The multivariate analysis indicates that in many countries agreement on having another child is less likely if the woman has some formal education. Additionally, in most countries, the results show that wife's age and the number of living children are consistent predictors of spousal agreement on having another child. Economic status has an important role in 7 of the 14 countries; couples living in wealthier households are less likely to agree to have another child than those in poorer households. Agreement between partners/spouses on the ideal number of children ranges from 13 percent in Chad to 32 percent in Kenya. Overall, a larger proportion of husbands than wives consider a higher number of children to be the ideal. However, the multivariate analysis indicates that, in most countries, the odds of spousal agreement on the ideal number of children are increased if the wife has formal education. The study also looks at the aggregate effect of high and low levels of polygyny on spousal agreement on fertility preferences and ideal number of children. The findings from the multivariate analysis indicates that, regardless of level of polygyny, the most important factors influencing the likelihood that both partners want another child are wife's education, wife's age, number of living children, and household wealth status. However, in countries with high levels of polygyny, type of marriage, difference in spouses' education, and infecundity can havea significant negative impact on agreement to have another child. In all 14 countries, wife's education has a positive impact on spousal agreement on the ideal number of children, regardless of level of polygyny. However, if the husband's level of education exceeds that of his wife, the wife is working for cash, or the household is not poor, the likelihood of spousal agreement on ideal number of children is greater only in the high polygyny group. (author's) Language: English Keywords: AFRICA, SUB SAHARAN | RESEARCH REPORT | DEMOGRAPHIC AND HEALTH SURVEYS | MULTIVARIATE ANALYSIS | COUPLES | POLYGYNY | REPRODUCTIVE BEHAVIOR | PARTNER COMMUNICATION | FAMILY SIZE, IDEAL | FERTILITY PREFERENCES | EDUCATIONAL STATUS | SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS | FERTILITY DETERMINANTS | Developing Countries | Africa | Demographic Surveys | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Population | Data Analysis | Research Methodology | Family Characteristics | Family and Household | Sociocultural Factors | Marriage Patterns | Marriage | Nuptiality | Fertility | Interpersonal Relations | Behavior | Family Size | Socioeconomic Factors | Economic Factors Document Number: 327806 |
| 16. Peer Reviewed Title: Albania: Trends and patterns, proximate determinants and policies of fertility change. Author: Gjonca A; Aassve A; Mencarini L Source: Demographic Research. 2008 Jul 1;19(11):261-292. Special Collection 7: Childbearing Trends and Policies in Europe. Abstract: For a very long time, Albania has had one of the highest levels of fertility in Europe: in 2002 the total fertility rate of 2.2 children per woman was the highest in Europe. Although this current level is high, the country has experienced a rapid fertility reduction during the last 50 years: a TFR decline from 7 to 2.2. This reduction has occurred in the absence of modern contraception and abortion, which indicates the significance of investments in the social agenda during the communist regime that produced policies with indirect effects on fertility. Most significant of these were policies focused on education, in particular on female education. Social and demographic settings for a further fertility reduction in Albania have been present since 1990. Contraception and abortion have been legalized and available since the early 1990s, but knowledge of their use is still not widespread in the country, largely due to the interplay between traditional and modern norms of Albanian society. This chapter points out that future fertility levels will be determined not only by new policies that might be introduced, but predominantly by the balance of this interplay. (author's) Language: English Keywords: ALBANIA | RESEARCH REPORT | SURVEYS | FERTILITY DECLINE | FERTILITY CHANGES | FERTILITY DETERMINANTS | ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT | SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT | INTERMEDIATE VARIABLES | INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION | MARRIAGE PATTERNS | CONTRACEPTIVE USAGE | POPULATION POLICY | SOCIAL POLICY | CULTURE | FAMILY PLANNING POLICY | Europe, Southeastern | Europe | Developing Countries | Sampling Studies | Studies | Research Methodology | Fertility | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Population | Economic Factors | Migration | Marriage | Nuptiality | Contraception | Family Planning | Policy | Political Factors | Sociocultural Factors Document Number: 327530 |
| 17. Peer Reviewed Title: Denominational affiliation and fertility behaviour in an African context: An examination of couple data from Ghana. Author: Gyimah SO; Takyi B; Tenkorang EY Source: Journal of Biosocial Science. 2008;:[14] p. Abstract: Although studies have examined religious differences in fertility in sub-Saharan Africa, it is argued in this paper that using women-only sample data may be conceptually problematic in patriarchal African societies where the influence of husbands on their wives' reproductive preferences is paramount. The present study contributes to this discourse by examining the relationship between religion and fertility behaviour using matched-couple data from Ghana. Guided by the 'religious values' and 'characteristics' hypotheses, the results indicate significant religious differences in fertility. Compared with Traditionalists, Christians and Muslims have lower fertility, albeit these differences diminish significantly after controlling for socioeconomic variables. The impact of wife's religious denomination on marital fertility is attenuated after controlling for husband's religious affiliation. Also, fertility was found to be higher if couples belong to the same faith compared with those of different faiths. (author's) Language: English Keywords: GHANA | RESEARCH REPORT | DEMOGRAPHIC AND HEALTH SURVEYS | COUPLES | REPRODUCTIVE BEHAVIOR | FERTILITY DETERMINANTS | RELIGIOUS ASPECTS | EDUCATIONAL STATUS | SOCIOECONOMIC FACTORS | Developing Countries | Africa, Western | Africa, Sub Saharan | Africa | Demographic Surveys | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Population | Family Characteristics | Family and Household | Sociocultural Factors | Fertility | Religion | Socioeconomic Status | Economic Factors Document Number: 324381 |
| 18. Peer Reviewed Title: Catholics using contraceptives: Religion, family planning, and interpretive agency in rural Mexico. Author: Hirsch JS Source: Studies in Family Planning. 2008 Jun;39(2):93-104. Abstract: Research on how religion shapes contraceptive practices and fertility has paid insufficient attention to how people interpret religious teachings. This study draws on ethnographic fieldwork in Degollado, Mexico, to describe generational and social-contextual differences in how women interpret and use religious doctrine to achieve their fertility desires without jeopardizing their standing as devout Catholics. Contrasting the family planning beliefs and practices of young Mexican women with those of older women (many of whom are the younger women's parents and in-laws), in a rural town in which the religious regulation of everyday life is pervasive, reveals how a common set of religious teachings and principles can be used to guide two different generational strategies for fertility regulation. The ethnographic data presented here highlight the creativity with which people use religious frameworks to justify their behavior. Research exploring how religion-and culture more broadly-influences fertility and contraceptive use should give greater attention to the dynamic interplay between cultural beliefs and institutions, social context, and interpretive agency. (author's) Language: English Keywords: MEXICO | RESEARCH REPORT | QUALITATIVE RESEARCH | INTERVIEWS | WOMEN | RURAL POPULATION | FAMILY PLANNING | CONTRACEPTIVE USAGE | RELIGIOUS ASPECTS | CATHOLICISM | CULTURE | BELIEFS | FERTILITY DETERMINANTS | REPRODUCTIVE BEHAVIOR | North America | Americas | Developing Countries | Research Methodology | Data Collection | Demographic Factors | Population | Population Characteristics | Contraception | Religion | Sociocultural Factors | Christianity | Fertility | Population Dynamics Document Number: 326888 |
| 19. Peer Reviewed Title: The transition to early fatherhood: National estimates based on multiple surveys. Author: Hynes K; Joyner K; Peters HE; DeLeone FY Source: Demographic Research. 2008 Apr 29;18(12):337-376. Abstract: This study provides systematic information about the prevalence of early male fertility and the relationship between family background characteristics and early parenthood across three widely used data sources: the 1979 and 1997 National Longitudinal Surveys of Youth and the 2002 National Survey of Family Growth. We provide descriptive statistics on early fertility by age, sex, race, cohort, and data set. Because each data set includes birth cohorts with varying early fertility rates, prevalence estimates for early male fertility are relatively similar across data sets. Associations between background characteristics and early fertility in regression models are less consistent across data sets. We discuss the implications of these findings for scholars doing research on early male fertility. (author's) Language: English Keywords: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | RESEARCH REPORT | SURVEYS | STATISTICAL REGRESSION | YOUTH | ETHNIC GROUPS | FERTILITY DETERMINANTS | FAMILY CHARACTERISTICS | FIRST BIRTH | AGE FACTORS | SEX FACTORS | Developed Countries | North America | Americas | Sampling Studies | Studies | Research Methodology | Data Analysis | Population Characteristics | Demographic Factors | Population | Cultural Background | Fertility | Population Dynamics | Family and Household | Sociocultural Factors | Pregnancy History | Fertility Measurements Document Number: 326465 |
| 20. Title: Factors responsible for the rapid decline of fertility in Nepal -- an interpretation. Further analysis of the 2006 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey. Author: Karki YB; Krishna R Source: Calverton, Maryland, Macro International, MEASURE DHS, 2008 May. [30] p. (Nepal Further Analysis No. 52USAID Contract No. GPO-C-00-03-00002-00) Abstract: The total fertility rate (TFR) in Nepal in mid-1976 was estimated at 6.3 births per woman, contraceptive use among currently married women was low (3 percent) and the proportion married was high. Given these demographic parameters, no immediate change in the fertility rate in Nepal seemed plausible. In recent years however, several researchers have noted that a fertility transition has been underway in Nepal. Many factors-socioeconomic and biological-may have contributed to this precipitous decline in fertility. However, actual levels and rates of change in fertility are less certain because they also depend on the quality of data and the accuracy of measurements used. Ideally, it would have been better to re-examine the levels and trends of fertility from the survey data with earlier surveys. Instead, the focus of this paper is on examining the possible factors underlying the recent unprecedented declines in fertility. The principal measure of fertility in this part of the analysis is the total fertility rate (TFR). The paper is organized into three main parts. The first part deals with fertility levels, trends and differentials. The second part discusses the role of intermediate or proximate factors and the final part deals with the contextual or antecedent factors affecting these intermediate factors. Survey data are used to analyze the proximate determinants of fertility decline. The results of the analysis provide quantitative estimates of the contribution of changes in contraceptive use, marriage, breastfeeding and postpartum insusceptibility to the observed decline. (excerpt) Language: English Keywords: NEPAL | RESEARCH REPORT | DEMOGRAPHIC AND HEALTH SURVEYS | FERTILITY DECLINE | FERTILITY DETERMINANTS | TOTAL FERTILITY RATE | CONTRACEPTIVE USAGE | Developing Countries | Asia, Southern | Asia | Demographic Surveys | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Population | Fertility Changes | Fertility | Fertility Rate | Birth Rate | Fertility Measurements | Contraception | Family Planning Document Number: 327804 |
| 21. Peer Reviewed Title: Demographic differentials and demographic integration of Turkish and Kurdish populations in Turkey. Author: Koc I; Hancioglu A; Cavlin A Source: Population Research and Policy Review. 2008 Aug;27(4):447-457. Abstract: The objectives of the study are threefold: (1) to provide estimates of the total populations and spatial distributions of different language groups in Turkey, (2) to test whether the commonly held belief that Turkish-speaking and Kurdish-speaking populations are "actors" of different demographic regimes is true, and (3) to assess whether a process of integration, in the form of intermarriage of Turks and Kurds is under way in Turkey. Data come mainly from the 2003 Turkish Demographic and Health Survey (TDHS-2003). Based on the assumption that the mother tongue composition of women is also representative of that of the whole population, the results of the TDHS-2003 imply that of the population of Turkey, 83% are Turkish-speaking, 14% are Kurdish-speaking, 2% are Arabic-speaking and the remaining 1% belong to other language groups. Results show that despite intensive internal migration movements in the last 50 years, strong demographic differentials exist between Turkish and Kurdish-speaking populations, and that the convergence of the two groups does not appear to be a process under way. Turks and Kurds do indeed appear to be actors of different demographic regimes, at different stages of demographic and health transition processes. (author's) Language: English Keywords: TURKEY | RESEARCH REPORT | DEMOGRAPHIC AND HEALTH SURVEYS | POPULATION DISTRIBUTION | POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS | LANGUAGE | CULTURAL BACKGROUND | ETHNIC GROUPS | DEMOGRAPHIC IMPACT | POPULATION DYNAMICS | FERTILITY DETERMINANTS | CONTRACEPTIVE USAGE | REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH | MARRIAGE PATTERNS | Europe, Southeastern | Europe | Developing Countries | Demographic Surveys | Demographic Factors | Population | Geographic Factors | Communication | Fertility | Contraception | Family Planning | Health | Marriage | Nuptiality Document Number: 325865 |
| 22. Peer Reviewed Title: Poland: Fertility decline as a response to profound societal and labour market changes? Author: Kotowska I; Jozwiak J; Matysiak A; Baranowska A Source: Demographic Research. 2008 Jul 1;19(22):795-854. Abstract: This article opens with a review of the main trends in family-related behaviour, i.e. fertility decline and changes in fertility patterns, a decreasing propensity to marry, postponement of marriage, and a slowly increasing frequency of divorces and separations. The analysis takes into account urban and rural differences. We then aim to identify the main determinants of family changes within the general conceptual framework of the Second Democratic Transition (SDT) in Poland. However, contrary to mainstream interpretations of the SDT, the main emphasis of this study is on the structural components of change, which need to be reformulated to account for processes specific to the transition to a market economy. The focus is, therefore, on labour market developments and family policy, and to a lesser extent on ideational change. (author's) Language: English Keywords: POLAND | RESEARCH REPORT | FERTILITY DECLINE | FERTILITY CHANGES | MARRIAGE PATTERNS | LIVING ARRANGEMENTS | ILLEGITIMACY | CONSENSUAL UNION | FERTILITY DETERMINANTS | FAMILY SIZE, DESIRED | LABOR FORCE | EDUCATIONAL STATUS | CHILD CARE | Europe, Central | Europe | Developing Countries | Fertility | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Population | Marriage | Nuptiality | Residence Characteristics | Population Distribution | Geographic Factors | Social Problems | Sociocultural Factors | Family Size | Family Characteristics | Family and Household | Human Resources | Economic Factors | Socioeconomic Status | Socioeconomic Factors | Child Rearing | Behavior Document Number: 327729 |
| 23. Peer Reviewed Title: Bulgaria: Ethnic differentials in rapidly declining fertility. Author: Koytcheva E; Philipov D Source: Demographic Research. 2008 Jul 1;19(13):361-402. Abstract: This chapter provides a detailed description of the fertility changes in Bulgaria during recent decades and discusses possible reasons and consequences. It also gives an overview of the steps that the government has undertaken to offset the considerable decline in fertility. Before the fall of communism, fertility trends in Bulgaria were stable and characterized by a nearly universal entry into parenthood, dominance of a two-child family model, an early start and early end of childbearing, stable mean ages at entry into childbearing and marriage, and low percentages of non-marital births. During the 1990s and in the first years of the new century, we observe a marked, rapid change in fertility behaviour. Together with the severe decline in overall fertility rates, demographic data reveal a significant postponement of entry into motherhood and marriage, a decline of the two-child family model, and an emergence of new family forms. Most research attributes these changes to the particular political and social situation in Bulgaria since 1989. (author's) Language: English Keywords: BULGARIA | RESEARCH REPORT | FERTILITY CHANGES | FERTILITY DECLINE | FERTILITY DETERMINANTS | ETHNIC GROUPS | MARRIAGE PATTERNS | DIVORCE | ABORTION | CONTRACEPTIVE USAGE | EDUCATION | PUBLIC OPINION | FAMILY POLICY | FERTILITY INCENTIVES | GOVERNMENT | Europe, Southeastern | Europe | Developing Countries | Fertility | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Population | Cultural Background | Population Characteristics | Marriage | Nuptiality | Fertility Control, Postconception | Family Planning | Contraception | Attitudes | Psychological Factors | Behavior | Social Policy | Policy | Political Factors | Sociocultural Factors | Pronatalist Policy | Population Policy Document Number: 327721 Notification |
| 24. Title: Abortion costs, sexual behavior, and pregnancy rates. Author: Medoff MH Source: Social Science Journal. 2008;:[17] p. Abstract: This paper empirically examines the question: Do the direct (price) and indirect (restrictive abortion laws) costs of obtaining an abortion have an impact on the likelihood of women becoming pregnant? Using the economic model of fertility control, the empirical results find that increases in the real price of obtaining an abortion cause a statistically and numerically significant decrease in the pregnancy rate of all women of childbearing age (15-44 years) and teens (ages 15-19). A state parental involvement law is also found to decrease the pregnancy rate of all women of childbearing age and an even numerically larger decrease for teens. A state Medicaid funding restriction of abortion, waiting period law, and mandatory counseling law do not have a statistically significant impact on the pregnancy rate of either group. Taken together the empirical results are consistent with the hypothesis that women's sexual behavior is influenced by the direct and indirect cost of obtaining an abortion. (author's) Language: English Keywords: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | CALIFORNIA | RESEARCH REPORT | ADOLESCENTS, FEMALE | ABORTION | ABORTION LAW | FERTILITY DETERMINANTS | PREGNANCY RATE | SEX BEHAVIOR | FEES | IMPACT | Developed Countries | North America | Americas | Adolescents | Youth | Age Factors | Population Characteristics | Demographic Factors | Population | Fertility Control, Postconception | Family Planning | Fertility | Population Dynamics | Fertility Measurements | Behavior | Financial Activities | Economic Factors | Communication Document Number: 324825 Notification |
| 25. Peer Reviewed Title: Science linking environmental contaminant exposures with fertility and reproductive health impacts in the adult female. Author: Mendola P; Messer LC; Rappazzo K Source: Fertility and Sterility. 2008 Feb;89(2 Suppl 1):e81-e94. Abstract: The study objective was to broadly review the recent literature linking environmental factors and adult female reproductive health for the UCSF-CHE Summit on Environmental Challenges to Reproductive Health and Fertility. Reviewed articles indexed in PubMed from 1999-2007 addressing environment and puberty, menstrual and ovarian function, fertility, and menopause. The strongest evidence of environmental contaminant exposures interfering with healthy reproductive function in adult females is for heavy metals, particularly lead. Compounds that can influence hormone function, including pesticides and persistent pollutants, are also associated with risk. The pattern of effects for these endocrine-active compounds is often complex, with no clear dose response, but alterations in function and poor reproductive health outcomes are observed. From a clinical perspective, most modifiable risk appears to be associated with exposures in unique populations (contaminated fish consumers) or occupational groups (farmworkers). Many compounds have demonstrated increased risks for reproductive health impairment in women, but the literature is largely cross-sectional in nature and too sparse or inconclusive to support causal inference. Reproductive function in adult females is impaired by lead exposure. Pesticides and persistent pollutants can alter hormone function resulting in adverse reproductive health effects. Coordinated research is needed to address contaminant effects across the life span. (author's) Language: English Keywords: GLOBAL | RESEARCH REPORT | LITERATURE REVIEW | WOMEN | REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH | FERTILITY DETERMINANTS | ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION | TOXICITY | EXPOSURE | Demographic Factors | Population | Health | Fertility | Population Dynamics | Environmental Degradation | Environment | Physiology | Biology | Risk Factors Document Number: 325032 |
| 26. Peer Reviewed Title: Refining the criteria for stalled fertility declines: An application to rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, 1990 -- 2005. Author: Moultrie TA; Hosegood V; McGrath N; Hill C; Herbst K Source: Studies in Family Planning. 2008 Mar;39(1):39-48. Abstract: Stalled fertility declines have been identified in several regions across the developing world, but the current conceptualization of a stalled fertility decline is poorly theorized and does not lend itself to objective measurement. We propose a more rigorous and statistically testable definition of stalled fertility decline that can be applied to time-series data. We then illustrate the utility of our definition through its application to data from rural South Africa for the period 1990-2005 collected from a demographic surveillance site. Application of the approach suggests that fertility decline has indeed stalled in rural KwaZulu-Natal, at about three children per woman. The stall, some 20 percent above the replacement fertility level, does not appear to be associated with a rise in wanted fertility or attenuated access to contraceptive methods. This identification of a stalled fertility decline provides the first evidence of such a stall in southern Africa, the region with the lowest fertilitylevels in sub-Saharan Africa. (author's) Language: English Keywords: SOUTH AFRICA | RESEARCH REPORT | LINEAR REGRESSION | RURAL POPULATION | FERTILITY DECLINE | FERTILITY RATE | CONTRACEPTIVE USAGE | FERTILITY DETERMINANTS | Africa, Southern | Africa, Sub Saharan | Africa | Developing Countries | Statistical Regression | Data Analysis | Research Methodology | Population Characteristics | Demographic Factors | Population | Fertility Changes | Fertility | Population Dynamics | Birth Rate | Fertility Measurements | Contraception | Family Planning Document Number: 324216 |
| 27. Peer Reviewed Title: Romania: Childbearing metamorphosis within a changing context. Author: Muresan C; Haragus PT; Haragus M; Schroder C Source: Demographic Research. 2008 Jul 1;19(23):855-906. Abstract: In 1989, the socialist regime in Romania collapsed and the state's coercive pro-natalist policy ended. Since then, fertility has gone through major changes, namely, a massive reduction in fertility and important structural changes: birth postponement, an end to universal childbearing, and the emergence of non-marital births. Family formation has been postponed, but a pattern of early marriage still persists compared to other European countries. Although unmarried cohabitation is rising, it is rarely seen as an alternative to marriage. Modern contraceptive methods are being used increasingly, but traditional contraceptive methods continue to be widespread. Abortion, which was relegalized in 1989 and made available after two decades of prohibition, has been practiced extensively ever since, especially after first birth. Romanians in 2004 continue to have a universal preference for parenting. However, the preference for the two-child family has declined and the desire for a larger family has become the exception. The transformation of the socialist regime into a democratic society with a market economy generated a socio-economic crisis, and the majority of social benefits have therefore been oriented towards alleviating poverty. Other social policies, including those affecting the family, were redefined. However, fewer funds were made available than for those geared to promote economic development or reduce poverty and, as a consequence, their impact on childbearing has been small. (author's) Language: English Keywords: ROMANIA | RESEARCH REPORT | FERTILITY CHANGES | FERTILITY DECLINE | DELAYED CHILDBEARING | SOCIAL CHANGE | POLITICAL FACTORS | ECONOMIC FACTORS | FERTILITY PREFERENCES | FAMILY SIZE | PARITY PROGRESSION RATIO | AGE SPECIFIC FERTILITY RATE | BIRTH INTERVALS | FERTILITY DETERMINANTS | LIVING ARRANGEMENTS | ABORTION | Developing Countries | Europe, Southeastern | Europe | Fertility | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Population | Reproductive Behavior | Sociocultural Factors | Family Characteristics | Family and Household | Parity | Fertility Measurements | Fertility Rate | Birth Rate | Residence Characteristics | Population Distribution | Geographic Factors | Fertility Control, Postconception | Family Planning Document Number: 327662 Notification |
| 28. Peer Reviewed Title: Sweden: Combining childbearing and gender equality. Author: Olah LS; Bernhardt EM Source: Demographic Research. 2008 Jul 1;19(28):1105-1144. Abstract: Sweden is the forerunner of the Second Demographic Transition. Fertility trends have fluctuated greatly since the 1960s, and the 1990s showed both European-highest and lowest-ever-in-Sweden levels, while the cohort pattern has been relatively stable. Period fluctuations have been accompanied by a postponement of entering committed partnerships and parenthood as well as an increasing instability of family relationships. The awareness and the availability of effective contraceptives have been extensive since the mid-1970s, the year the liberal abortion law was introduced. Post-modern values are dominant in this highly secularized society, but ideal family size is among the highest in the European Union, and childlessness has remained at a relatively low level. Ethnic diversification has increased over time, with about one-fifth of the population having a 'foreign background' in the early 2000s. The level of female labor-force participation is the highest in Europe (although mothers of preschoolers often work part-time), and young women are just as highly educated as men. Family policies, based on the principle of equality across social groups and gender, seem to play an important role in keeping fertility relatively high. In combination with other factors, family policies also play a role in the fluctuations of fertility rates, as eligibility to parental-leave and benefits as well as the availability of public childcare are linked to parents' labor-force attachment. (author's) Language: English Keywords: SWEDEN | RESEARCH REPORT | HISTORICAL REVIEW | FERTILITY CHANGES | FERTILITY DETERMINANTS | DEMOGRAPHIC TRANSITION | CONTRACEPTIVE AVAILABILITY | FAMILY SIZE, IDEAL | FAMILY POLICY | ABORTION | SOCIAL CHANGE | Europe, Northern | Europe | Developed Countries | Fertility | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Population | Contraception | Family Planning | Family Size | Family Characteristics | Family and Household | Sociocultural Factors | Social Policy | Policy | Political Factors | Fertility Control, Postconception Document Number: 327674 Notification |
| 29. Title: Does female schooling reduce fertility? Evidence from Nigeria. Author: Osili UO; Long BT Source: Journal of Development Economics. 2008 Aug;87(1):57-75. Abstract: The literature generally points to a negative relationship between female education and fertility. Citing this pattern, policymakers have advocated educating girls and young women as a means to reduce population growth and foster sustained economic and social welfare in developing countries. This paper tests whether the relationship between fertility and education is indeed causal by investigating the introduction of universal primary education in Nigeria. Exploiting differences in program exposure by region and age, the paper presents reduced form and instrumental variables estimates of the impact of female education on fertility. The analysis suggests that increasing female education by one year reduces early fertility by 0.26 births. (author's) Language: English Keywords: NIGERIA | RESEARCH REPORT | DEMOGRAPHIC AND HEALTH SURVEYS | THEORETICAL MODELS | WOMEN | FERTILITY DETERMINANTS | REPRODUCTIVE BEHAVIOR | SCHOOL ENROLLMENT | EDUCATIONAL STATUS | ESTIMATION TECHNIQUES | Developing Countries | Africa, Western | Africa, Sub Saharan | Africa | Demographic Surveys | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Population | Research Methodology | Fertility | Socioeconomic Status | Socioeconomic Factors | Economic Factors Document Number: 327039 |
| 30. Peer Reviewed Title: The preference for an additional child among married women in Seoul, Korea. Author: Park SM; Cho SI; Jang SN; Cho YT; Chung HW Source: Journal of Biosocial Science. 2008 Mar;40(2):269-281. Abstract: South Korea reported a total fertility rate (TFR) of 1.08 in 2005. This is the lowest level of all nations in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Recently, the decline in the fertility rate has been a dominant phenomenon in Korea's major cities. This study investigated the relationship between social environmental factors and fertility intentions for married women in Seoul, the capital of Korea, using a sample of 2211 married women who responded to the Seoul Citizens Health and Social Indicators Survey, 2005. Here, the effects of selected social environmental characteristics on fertility intentions are explored using multivariate logistic regression models. The relationships among a woman's age, number of living children, job type, housing type, and social group participation were strong indicators of the intention to have additional children. Younger women living with fewer children generally have a higher intention to have additional children. Among women's job types, blue-collar workers have a lower preference for additional children than white-collar workers and housewives. Married women participating in social groups have a lower preference for additional children than non-participants. Women's participation in social activities appears to have various benefits, both individually and socially. However, whereas women's participation in economic activities has been linked to questions of fertility in previous studies, the relationship between fertility and social activities has been downplayed. Women's participation in social activities has increased over the past several decades, and the trend continues to grow. Therefore, women's participation in social activities must be accepted as the status quo, and compatibility between women's participation in social activities and childrearing needs to be increased. Consequently, a strong foundation for a fertility-friendly environment is needed, focusing on blue-collar workers and participation in social activities by married women. (author's) Language: English Keywords: DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF KOREA | RESEARCH REPORT | SURVEYS | WOMEN | URBAN POPULATION | FERTILITY PREFERENCES | FAMILY SIZE, DESIRED | SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS | SOCIAL BEHAVIOR | SOCIAL NETWORKS | FERTILITY DETERMINANTS | LOW FERTILITY POPULATION | Asia, Eastern | Asia | Developing Countries | Sampling Studies | Studies | Research Methodology | Demographic Factors | Population | Population Characteristics | Fertility | Population Dynamics | Family Size | Family Characteristics | Family and Household | Sociocultural Factors | Socioeconomic Factors | Economic Factors | Behavior | Friends and Relatives Document Number: 323786 |
 |
||
 |
Information & Knowledge for Optimal Health (INFO) Project 111 Market Place Suite 310, Baltimore, MD 21202 Phone: 410-659-6300 Fax: 410-659-6266 Security & Privacy Policy |  |