Demographic Transitions and Fertility Flashcards
Demographic transition
generic model of sequential changes in mortality and fertility rates over time
1st stage of demographic transition
B=D (high amounts of both)
2nd stage of demographic transition
B>D (death rates fall due to technology, new knowledge, etc)
3rd stage of demographic transition
B~D (both births and deaths lower - harder to change views on family size so birth rates fall slower)
4th stage of demographic transition
B<D (very low birth rates)
Total fertility rate (TFR)
number of children that would be born to a woman if she lives to the end of her childbearing years and is subject to today’s age specific fertility rate
Contraceptive technologies
techniques, technologies, and methods to prevent pregnancies
Family planning programs (FPPs)
efforts by governments, NGOs, and others to provide education about family size, reproduction, and access to contraceptive methods
Population policies
domestic and international policies aimed at addressing population level “levers” that influence population level fertiltiy
Pro-natalist
In support of more kids, raising fertility levels
Anti-natalist
Fewer kids, lowering fertility levels
Demographic transition critiques
may not apply to all countries outside of Europe, stages may not be accurate
Replacement level fertility
the number of children that need to be born to replace the population (2.1)
Prerequisites of fertility decline
Ready, Willing, and Able
Ready (prerequisite of fertility decline)
fertility must be within the calculus of conscious choice (people must believe fertility is something they can control and have a choice in)
Willing (prerequisite of fertility decline)
reduced fertility must be advantageous (recognition children will survive, children are more expensive)
Able (prerequisite of fertility decline)
Effective techniques must be available
Demand theories
as the “cost” of children increases, demand for contraception will increase
Diffusion theories
ideas about the value fo children and the acceptability of smaller families spread through social networks, education, and the media
natural fertility
TFR in the absence of contraceptive use
Coercive family planning
policy, practices, or limitations applied to a population by a government so that people do not have full agency or control over their fertility choices
Rights based family planning
programs that put importance on human rights and people’s ability to make informed choice about how and when they want to have children
Bucharest conference 1974
Low income countries wanted more contraception, high income countries wanted them to modernize
Mexico City conference 1984
Low income countries wanted to modernize, high income countries wanted to give them more contraceptives
Cairo conference 1994
tone shift away from family planning and towards human development and choice
Unmet contraceptive need
the gap between the number of women who want contraception vs those using contraception
Demand for contraception
women in childbearing ages, who are regularly sexually active, who want contraception
Age Specific Fertility Rates
number of births per year to a woman of a specific age range, divided by the total number of women int hat specific age range
General fertility rate
number of births in a population divided by population of women in reproductive age (15-44)
Low fertility
below replacement fertility
Lowest low fertilty
TFR < 1.3-1.5
Postponement transition
stage in society’s fertility patterns where couples are having fewer births overall and having them later
Why does fertility decline so low
changing values, uncertainty, gender equity, and opportunity cost for women
Forgone fertility
fertility that is given up due to postponing the time of having children
Reasons for non-use of contraceptives
concerns about side effects, do not see themselves at risk for having a child, opposition to contraceptive use, have sex infrequently
What leads to postponement transition?
Decline in number of kids (quantum) and shift in timing of kids (tempo)
