Trends Related to Fertility and Fecundity

1. Trends Related to Fertility and Fecundity

2. Population Trends • Changes in fertility have has a profound effect on our world • Overpopulation can result in starvation and a drain on our natural resources • It took until the 1830s for the world to hit the one billion mark in population • In the last 175 years the earth’s population has grown more than five times that number!

3. World Population Trends • The Developed World is defined by the United Nations as North America, Europe, Japan, Australia and New Zealand • The Developing World is everyone else. Example?

4. The Developed World • Surprisingly, demographers are now dealing with a falling population rate • Women in the developed world are having fewer children which causes a major problem for us – Do you know what it is? • There are fewer and fewer people to pay for the aging population as they start to retire • This generation has higher health costs because there is a greater number of them

5. The Developing World • 95% of the world’s population growth is happening in the developing world • Half of the people in these countries are under 15 years of age • They have little access to health care and education • Do you know the name of these people? • The Masai

6. Fertility and Fecundity • Fertility refers to actual reproduction • Fecundity refers to the ABILITY to reproduce • It is interesting to note that even in the developing world, the fertility rate is falling

7. Involuntary Childlessness • Many cultures believe that a marriage is not complete without children – In fact, if after a period of time you do not reproduce people will start to wonder what is wrong. • In some cultures they may even divorce eg. In Israel, a marriage that lasts for 10 years without producing a child is viewed as grounds for divorce • Why do you think the birth of children is so important to some cultures?

8. Voluntary Childlessness • Voluntary Childlessness is when couples actively decide not to have children. • Women who remain childless are often stereotyped

9. Categories that Define the Reasons Women Remain Childless • Hedonists – Women who choose to remain childless to preserve their standard of living and who are unwilling to invest the time in raising children • Emotional – Women who do not have an emotional draw toward babies or children • Idealistic – Women who do not want to bring a child into a world they feel is unsuitable • Practical – Women who have a practical reason for being childless such as not wanting to pass on a genetic defect to their child

10. The Impact of Current Birth Patterns in Canada The Economy! • There will be more jobs for young workers as approximately 25% of the workforce retires • Labour shortages could even occur • Canada is increasingly depending on immigration to replace these workers as the birth rate falls from 1.54 to 1.48 in the next five years (prediction) • Job shortages will likely be seen in areas such as education, health care, government, forestry etc.

11. The Canadian Pension Plan • Because of the falling birthrate and the high number of retiring and aging Canadians, the government had to make changes to the CPP • These changes will see the younger generation pay higher premiums to support the aging generation before them • This increase will see payments jump from around $945/year to around $1635 – this total is matched by the employers.

12. The Impact on Health Care • The biggest strain on the Provincial Government’s budget is Health Care • The largest portion of the Government’s budget goes to health care for the elderly • The average age of those entering long term care facilities is 85 years old and the number of these people is expected to quadruple by the year 2028 • Many worry the money to pay for these people will take money away from other areas where it is needed as well