Topic
Fertility
About: Fertility is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 29988 publications have been published within this topic receiving 681106 citations.
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TL;DR: The research reported here was carried out amongst the Yoruba, a sub Saharan people, among whom it is more desirable in terms of social stability to practise female sexual abstinence mainly within marriage, rather than outside it.
Abstract: Summary Although sexual abstinence has probably been the single most important factor in restricting human fertility, Western researchers have tended to regard it as a phenomenon mostly found outside marriage. The research reported here was carried out amongst the Yoruba, a sub Saharan people, among whom it is more desirable in terms of social stability to practise female sexual abstinence mainly within marriage, rather than outside it. A similar situation is found widely in tropical Africa. Data are reported from five surveys carried out in 1973–75 in the Changing African Family and Nigerian Family Projects. Three types of marital abstinence are shown to have an effect in reducing fertility: post-natal abstinence (often wrongly described as a ‘taboo’), terminal abstinence, and abstinence at other times. Female sexual abstinence is not paralleled by an equal practice of male abstinence, and the main reason for abstinence is to preserve long birth intervals and periods of lactation in a society prone to hi...
158 citations
158 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the current status of fertility transition in sub-Saharan Africa, including the extent to which fertility decline has stalled, using data from the Demographic and Health Surveys.
Abstract: This paper uses data from the Demographic and Health Surveys to examine the current status of fertility transition in sub-Saharan Africa, including the extent to which fertility decline has stalled. Among the two dozen countries covered by multiple surveys, 22 have initiated fertility transition, and a third of these countries have experienced stalling of fertility decline. We study the links between changes in contraceptive use, fertility preferences, and socioeconomic development (as reflected in changes in women's education, infant and child mortality, and real per-capita economic growth) and fertility decline and stalling. Changes in the measures of socioeconomic development are all related to the likelihood of stalling. We also analyze determinants of age-specific fertility rates in urban and rural places, and assess future prospects for fertility decline in the region. Progress in increasing women's educational attainment and in reducing infant and child mortality are identified as key factors contributing to sustained fertility decline.
158 citations
Journal Article•
TL;DR: Statistics of population dynamics in pre-fertility transition Europe, especially Western Europe, are diagrammed, tabulated, and graphed and new findings in the field indicate that the past was largely characterized by natural fertility.
Abstract: Statistics of population dynamics in pre-fertility transition Europe especially Western Europe are diagrammed tabulated and graphed. A description of new sources of information refined concepts on Europes fertility transition and ways of measuring the actual practice of family limitation are explained. New findings in the field indicate that the past was largely characterized by natural fertility. Factors such as the period of lactation and seasonal migration influenced total fertility differences. The transition from high to low fertility and mortality represented a shift from natural fertility to family limitation. Differences in the start and speed of the fertility decline are determined more by cultural than by socioeconomic conditions. This process began in Western Europe under varying socioeconomic conditions during the 1880-1910 period and was irreversible once it started. It is generally agreed that many areas of the developing world are currently undergoing a fertility transition. Both birth and death rates in these countries are higher than levels ever were in pre-transition Europe. However the new findings relating to the transition in Europe lead experts to believe that this curent transition will follow the same courese. A certain level of socioeconomic development is not a precondition. Family planning programs even in underdeveloped areas can be effective.
158 citations
TL;DR: The results, drawn from all known couples of the Icelandic population born between 1800 and 1965, show a significant positive association between kinship and fertility, with the greatest reproductive success observed for couples related at the level of third and fourth cousins.
Abstract: Previous studies have reported that related human couples tend to produce more children than unrelated couples but have been unable to determine whether this difference is biological or stems from socioeconomic variables. Our results, drawn from all known couples of the Icelandic population born between 1800 and 1965, show a significant positive association between kinship and fertility, with the greatest reproductive success observed for couples related at the level of third and fourth cousins. Owing to the relative socioeconomic homogeneity of Icelanders, and the observation of highly significant differences in the fertility of couples separated by very fine intervals of kinship, we conclude that this association is likely to have a biological basis.
158 citations