Demographic Trends In The Uk : Birth Rates And Fertility Rates

Question 1

What are birth rates ?

Answer 1

Number of live births that occur per 1000 people in the population

Question 2

What are fertility rates ?

Answer 2

The average number of children a women will have during her lifetime

Question 3

What are the trends ( 2 points )

Answer 3

1. The birth rate has declined from 20.5 to 11.1 in 2018

2. The fertility rate has dropped from a peak of 2.93 children per women in 1964 to 1.7 in 2018

Question 4

What are the 4 reasons behind these trends ?

Answer 4

1. Economic position of women
2. Cost of children
3. Contraception
4. Reduction in infant mortality

Question 5

How has the economic position of women affected birth and fertility rates ?

Answer 5

Negative correlation between female employment and birth and fertility rates

Question 6

How have the cost of children affected birth and fertility rates ? ( Buchanan and rotkirch )

Answer 6

Buchanan and rotkirch found cost was a factor for women surveyed in deciding on having children

Question 7

How has contraception affected birth and fertility rates ? ( 2 points )

Answer 7

1. Availability and effectiveness of contraception in recent years has enabled women to have control over their reproductive rights
2. Legislation of abortion in 1969 has also helped to control the number of unwanted pregnancies

Question 8

How has a reduction in infant mortality increase birth and fertility rates ? ( 2 points )

Answer 8

1. Women are having fewer children as they are more certain that their children will live into adulthood
2. Advances in neonatal medicine have dramatically reduced the number of children dying in the first year of their lives

Question 9

Impacts of reduced birth and fertility rates ( 2 points )

Answer 9

1. Increased dependency ratio in years to come

2. Decreased birth rate and death rate has led to an ageing population