Demography - Births

Question 1

Definition of birth rate

Answer 1

The number of live births per thousand of the population per year

Question 2

Trends in birth rate since 1900

Answer 2

It’s been in long term decline

Question 3

What was the birth rate in 1900?

Answer 3

28.7

Question 4

What was the birth rate in 2014?

Answer 4

12.2

Question 5

Total fertility rate definition

Answer 5

Average number of children women will have during their fertile years

Question 6

Fertile years of women

Answer 6

15-44

Question 7

Total fertility rate in 2001

Answer 7

1.63

Question 8

Total fertility rate in 2021

Answer 8

1.61

Question 9

Reasons for low total fertility rate

Answer 9

More women remaining childless
Postponing having children (due to factors such as career aspirations)

Question 10

Average age of mother at childbirth in 2019

Answer 10

30.7

Question 11

Stillbirth (child dying at birth) rate in 2020

Answer 11

Reached a record low with 3.8 per 1000 total births

Question 12

4 reasons for decline in birth rate

Answer 12

1. Changes in women’s position
2. Decline in infant mortality rate
3. Children now an economic liability
4. Child centredness

Question 13

What factors have contributed to the changes in women’s positions? (6)

Answer 13

Legal rights
Education
More women in paid employment with equal rights
Easier access to divorce
Birth control and abortion
Changes in women’s attitudes

Question 14

Why do many women delay childbearing?

Answer 14

To peruse a career

Question 15

What does Harper believe to be the most important reason for long term fall in birth and fertility rates?

Answer 15

Education

Question 16

What fraction of women aged 45 were childless on 2012?

Answer 16

1/5

Question 17

What are educated women more likely to do?

Answer 17

-Use family planning
-See other possibilities

Question 18

Infant mortality rate definition

Answer 18

Number of infants who die before their first birthday, per thousand babies born alive, per year

Question 19

What does Harper believe the fall in IMR leads to?

Answer 19

Fall in birth rate

Question 20

What was the IMR in UK in 1900?

Answer 20

154

Question 21

What was the UK IMR in 2018?

Answer 21

3.8

Question 22

What factors contributed to the fall in the UK IMR during the second half of the 1900s? (6)

Answer 22

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

Question 23

What were children until the late 19th century?

Answer 23

Economic assets - meaning child labour would make families money

Question 24

What laws made children dependent on parents for longer?

Answer 24

Banning child labour, compulsory education and raising school leaving age

Question 25

What changing norms have made children economic liabilities?

Answer 25

Children should expect to be fed three meals a day, provided shelter, provided clothes etc from their parents which costs money

Question 26

What is childhood now socially constructed as (child-centredness)?

Answer 26

A uniquely important period of the individuals life

Question 27

What shift has childhood being socially constructed encouraged (child-centredness)?

Answer 27

A shift from quantity of children to quality

Question 28

Three effects of changes in fertility

Answer 28

1. The family 2. The dependency ratio 3. Public services and policies

Question 29

Result of smaller families for women

Answer 29

They are more likely to be free to go to work which creates the dual earner couple

Question 30

Dependency ratio

Answer 30

Relationship between working and non-working parts of the population

Question 31

What does having less children reduce?

Answer 31

The ‘burden of dependency’

Question 32

How does having less children reduce the ‘burden of dependency’?

Answer 32

Because children make up a large part of the dependent population

Question 33

Why will the burden of dependency possibly increase in the long term?

Answer 33

Because there will be a smaller working population

Question 34

Why is the average age of the population rising?

Answer 34

Because women are having fewer babies