Cross-sectional average length of life by parity

Abstract

In developed countries, the cohort total fertility rate (CTFR) has declined below the replacement fertility level beginning with the 1940s birth cohorts (Frejka and Calot 2001; Myrskylä et al. 2013; Sobotka et al. 2015). Although Nordic countries, France and the US have higher CTFRs, the CTFRs of Southern Europe and East Asia are far below the replacement level, with 1.5 children per woman on average in Italy and Japan based on the 1970 birth cohort; these cohorts have practically concluded their reproductive ages (Frejka and Calot 2001; Human Fertility Database 2019; Sobotka et al. 2015). This decline in the total fertility rate is often accompanied by changes in the parity progression ratios. The parity progression ratios from parity two to higher parities dropped significantly from the 1930 to 1965 birth cohorts, and the progression ratios from parity zero to one and from parity one to two started decreasing in more recent cohorts in most European countries (Frejka 2008). In addition, the age of entering motherhood has increased since the 1970s by approximately 1 year each decade on average in high-income countries (Mills et al. 2011), although age disparities can be observed. For example, women in Eastern European countries tend to enter motherhood at a relatively young age, while women in Southern Europe and Eastern Asia show late entrance into motherhood, above the age of 30 on average (Kneale and Joshi 2008; Schmidt et al. 2012; Toulemon 1996). The postponement of motherhood increases the risk of remaining childless and leaves less time for further births. Show more