POSTPONEMENT OF CHILDBIRTH IN UKRAINE THROUGH THE PRISM OF COHORT WOMEN

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POSTPONEMENT OF CHILDBIRTH IN UKRAINE THROUGH THE PRISM OF COHORT WOMEN

Journal Title: Демографія та соціальна економіка - Year 2018, Vol 3, Issue

Abstract

The leading feature of changes in the structure of fertility in modern Ukraine is shifting parenthood to advanced reproductive ages. The article analyses the fertility postponement in Ukraine and subsequent recuperation (a compensatory fertility increase) at higher reproductive ages for the cohorts of women born after 1965. The postponement of births in the cohorts of the 1970s and early 1980s is manifested in the gradual decline of fertility at young ages from older cohorts to younger. The study was carried out using the methodological approaches to analysing changes in the level and cohort fertility age profile (T. Sobotka, K. Zeman, R. Leshtaeghe, T. Frejka). For the first time in Ukraine catching up in cohort fertility (including by birth order) is estimated using the cumulated fertility rates by birth order. In the course of our investigation we paid attention to features of reproductive behaviour of women belonging to different cohorts. It was revealed that in Ukrainian women cohorts born in the late 1960s and early 1970s two phenomena manifested themselves simultaneously: early fertility and the postponement of first childbirths. The paper estimates relative losses in fertility through the postponement of births in the cohort of 1970 (in which the postponement of births is clearly represented, and the cohort fertility dynamic is more complete) in comparison with the reference cohort of 1965. The structure of these losses by the order of birth, as well as the degree of their compensation due to catching up of births at older age were characterised also. The following peculiarities of the postponement of births and further recuperation in Ukraine in the studied cohorts of women are revealed: reduction in the period of delayed first births in younger cohorts during the period of improving social and economic situation; increase in the recuperation index (catching up) in younger cohorts; increasing pace of recuperation of births as the transition from older cohorts to younger, especially in cases of the birth of the second and third order children. It was also concluded that in Ukraine the processes of postponement and recuperation fertility in cohorts after 1965 depend on both opportunistic economic factors and long-term socio-cultural changes.

Authors and Affiliations

S. Y. Aksyonova, I. O. Kurilo

Keywords

fertility motherhood the mean age at birth cohort fertility cumulated birth rate postponement of childbirth recuperation index birth order birth timing

EP ID EP422877
DOI 10.15407/dse2018.03.011
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