Explain the causes/significance of changes in birth/fertility rates in the UK since 1900 (2)✅ Flashcards
(7 cards)
What is birth rate?
Birth rate is the number of live births per 1,000 of the annual population.
What is total fertility rate (TFR)?
The total fertility rate is the average number of children a woman would have if she were to live through her child bearing years and experience the current age-specific fertility rate. It essentially predicts the average number of children born per woman over her lifetime.
Identify 2 reasons for changes in the fertility and birth rates.
Changes in fertility and birth rates are due to:
- More women remaining childless than in the past.
- Women are postponing having children, the older, the less fertile.
Summarise the following reasons for the decline in birth rate:
- Change in position of women
- Decline in infant mortality rate
- Children are now an economic liability
- Child centredness
Change in position of women
- Legal equality in men
- Increased educational opportunity
- More women in paid careers
Harper found education of women is the most important reason for the fall in long term birth/fertility.
Decline in infant mortality rate
- Improve housing, better sanitation
- More nutrition, including mothers
- Improved services for mothers
Children are now an economic liability
- Laws banning child labour, school
- Changing norms, children expect
- Cost to bring up children increased
Child centredness
- Childhood now unique/important
- Encouraged shift from qual to quant.
What is the reason for the slight increase in births since 2001?
One reason for this is due to the increase of immigration, because on average mothers from outside the UK have higher fertility rate than those in the UK.
What doe the overall projection show about the number of births up to 2041?
The projection for the period 2041 expects the annual number of births to be fairly constant, at around 800,000 per year.
What is the effect of fewer babies been born on:
- the family
- the dependancy ratio
- public services and policies
The family - Smaller families mean women are more likely to be free to go out and work, creating the dual earner couple typical of many professional families.
Dependancy ratio - In the long term, fewer babies being born will mean fewer young adults and a smaller working population and so the burden of dependancy may begin to increase again.
Public services and policies - Fewer schools and maternity and child health services may be needed. It also affects the cost of maternity/paternity leave and the types of housing that need to be built.
