A Half Century of Fertility Change

Abstract

Fertility change has been one of the most important foci of social science over the past half-century. The body of knowledge accumulated is impressive and can account for both the decline of fertility from high to low levels (the fertility transition) and variation in fertility at both high and low levels. Explanation has been both at the level of proximate determinants and more distal causes. We review the empirical evidence on fertility change and offer integrative, conceptual observations.