Demography - Births Flashcards
Definition of birth rate
The number of live births per thousand of the population per year
Trends in birth rate since 1900
It’s been in long term decline
What was the birth rate in 1900?
28.7
What was the birth rate in 2014?
12.2
Total fertility rate definition
Average number of children women will have during their fertile years
Fertile years of women
15-44
Total fertility rate in 2001
1.63
Total fertility rate in 2021
1.61
Reasons for low total fertility rate
More women remaining childless
Postponing having children (due to factors such as career aspirations)
Average age of mother at childbirth in 2019
30.7
Stillbirth (child dying at birth) rate in 2020
Reached a record low with 3.8 per 1000 total births
4 reasons for decline in birth rate
- Changes in women’s position
- Decline in infant mortality rate
- Children now an economic liability
- Child centredness
What factors have contributed to the changes in women’s positions? (6)
Legal rights
Education
More women in paid employment with equal rights
Easier access to divorce
Birth control and abortion
Changes in women’s attitudes
Why do many women delay childbearing?
To peruse a career
What does Harper believe to be the most important reason for long term fall in birth and fertility rates?
Education
What fraction of women aged 45 were childless on 2012?
1/5
What are educated women more likely to do?
-Use family planning
-See other possibilities
Infant mortality rate definition
Number of infants who die before their first birthday, per thousand babies born alive, per year
What does Harper believe the fall in IMR leads to?
Fall in birth rate
What was the IMR in UK in 1900?
154
What was the UK IMR in 2018?
3.8
What factors contributed to the fall in the UK IMR during the second half of the 1900s? (6)
Improved housing
Better nutrition
Better health care
Better knowledge of hygiene
Fall in number of married women working (more care goes into children)
Improved services, antenatal and postnatal
What were children until the late 19th century?
Economic assets - meaning child labour would make families money
What laws made children dependent on parents for longer?
Banning child labour, compulsory education and raising school leaving age
What changing norms have made children economic liabilities?
Children should expect to be fed three meals a day, provided shelter, provided clothes etc from their parents which costs money
What is childhood now socially constructed as (child-centredness)?
A uniquely important period of the individuals life
What shift has childhood being socially constructed encouraged (child-centredness)?
A shift from quantity of children to quality
Three effects of changes in fertility
- The family
- The dependency ratio
- Public services and policies
Result of smaller families for women
They are more likely to be free to go to work which creates the dual earner couple
Dependency ratio
Relationship between working and non-working parts of the population
What does having less children reduce?
The ‘burden of dependency’
How does having less children reduce the ‘burden of dependency’?
Because children make up a large part of the dependent population
Why will the burden of dependency possibly increase in the long term?
Because there will be a smaller working population
Why is the average age of the population rising?
Because women are having fewer babies
