Birth rates- demography- Families and households

Question 1

Birth rates

Answer 1

The number of live births per 1000 of the population per year

Question 2

Baby blooms

Answer 2

fluctuations of births

Question 3

3 baby blooms in the 20th century

Answer 3

• After the 1st and 2nd world war where the making of families was put on hold
• In the 1960’s which led to it falling in the 1970’s

Question 4

The total fertility rate

Answer 4

The average number of children women have in their fertile years

Question 5

Factors determining the birth rate

Answer 5

• the proportion of women of childbearing age
• how fertile they are

Question 6

What do the changes in the fertility and birth rates reflect?

Answer 6

• women are remaining childless
• women are postponing having children

Question 7

Reasons of the decline of the birth rate

Answer 7

1- changes in the position of women
2- decline in the infant mortality rate
3- children becoming more of an economic liability
4- child-centredness

Question 8

Changes in the position of women

Answer 8

• right to vote
• increased educational opportunities
• paid equally to men in employment
• changes in attitudes
• easier to access a divorce
• access to abortion + effective contraception- control over fertility
• focus on career

Question 9

infant mortality rate meaning

Answer 9

How many children die before their first birthday, per thousand babies born alive, per year

Question 10

How is the decline in the Infant mortality rate a reason for the decline in the birth rate?

Answer 10

• fall in the imr leads to a fall in the birth rate
• less children die, less replaced

Question 11

Why did the infant mortality rate drop in the first half of the 20th century?

Answer 11

more adequate housing, sanitation and improved services for mothers and babies

Question 12

How have children become more of an economic liability?

Answer 12

• Children used to be an economic asset to their parents as they provided them with an income
• now children are dependent on their parents to meet their economic needs

Question 13

How are families more child-centered?

Answer 13

• They will focus on ‘quality’ rather than ‘quantity’
• allows them to provide their children with more resources and attention

Question 14

What aspects of society are effected by the changes in the birth rate?

Answer 14

• the family
• The dependency ratio
• public services and policies

Question 15

How are the family effected by the changes in the birth rate?

Answer 15

• smaller family sizes allows for both parents to go out and work- dual earner families
• more financially stable

Question 16

How is the dependency ratio effected by the changes in the birth rate?

Answer 16

• the fall in the number of children reduces the burden of dependency on the working population
• in the future, this may increase due to fewer working- aged people

Question 17

How is public services and policies effected by the changes in the birth rate?

Answer 17

• Less schools, maternity services, health services required
• reduced costs on maternity/paternity leave
• reduced costs on houses being built- designed for smaller families