Understanding Factors Influencing Fertility Rates

1. Factors Affecting Fertility

2. I. Economic Factors • A. The level of economic development – higher dev.=lower BR

3. I. Economic Factors B. 2 types of society 1. Agrarian Society – kids considered an asset, help work

4. I. Economic Factors 2. Developed world – kids a liability a. small families = increased standard of living b. in hard times people have less kids to maintain standard of living c. high cost of raising/educating kids is incentive to have small families

5. II. Social Factors A. the machismo factor – in Lat Am the head of the household shows his manhood by the number of kids he has

6. II. Social Factors • traditional roles of women – women valued by # of kids they have

7. II. Social Factors C. adult sons care for elderly – sons highly valued

8. II. Social Factors D. religion 1. Catholics – oppose birth control 2. Buddhism – birth control ok 3. Hinduism – birth control ok but son highly valued 4. Islam – oppose birth control

9. II. Social Factors E. literacy rates 1. high lit/ed = low birth rate 2. low lit/ed = high birth rate

10. II. Social Factors F. changing attitudes towards women’s societal roles 1. acceptability of birth control 2. lower family sizes becoming acceptable

11. II. Social Factors G. infant mortality rate 1. areas w/ high rates have larger families 2. areas w/ low rates have small families

12. II. Social Factors F. age structure – if the average age of a population is low, the birth rate will be high

13. III. Political Factors A. Pro Natal Policy Examples – policies that encourage having kids

14. III. Political Factors 1. France a. improved day care b. employees given time off to spend w/ kids

15. III. Political Factors 2. Africa – belief that pop = political power and economic growth comes from pop

16. III. Political Factors B. Anti Natal Policy Examples – policies for not having kids

17. III. Political Factors 1. China – one child policy