Fertility and Reproductive Attitudes of the Population Before and After the Epidemiological Situation Worse

Abstract

Introduction. The preservation and growth of the population is a key task of the Russian Federation Demographic Policy Concept until 2025. Nevertheless, in recent years, the achievement of this task has been difficult due to escalation of socio-economic and demographic problems. The purpose of the article is to determine and compare birth rates and reproductive attitudes of the population in various periods after the beginning of the 2000s, which differ in the socio-economic context and the list of demographic policy measures, including under the latest circumstances – the worsening epidemiological situation. Materials and Methods. The study is based on a statistical analysis of time series data indicators for conditional generations that reflect the demographic situation of fertility in Russia and the Komi Republic – crude and total fertility rates, natural population growth (decline), the number of women in reproductive age (15–49 years) in total structure of the female population, the number of women aged 15–24 in the structure of the female population of reproductive ages. Also, the methodological basis of the presented work is based on the results of three sociological studies, conducted by a team of scientists of The Institute for Social Economic and Energy problems of the North of the North Federal Research Center Komi Science Centre UB RAS in 2008, 2013 and 2020 among the population of the Komi Republic. Results. It is revealed that the most successful period of demographic development in Russia was 2013–2016 and in the Komi Republic in 2011–2016, which consists in achieving natural population growth. Further, there was a decrease in the birth rate. It is determined that the situation in the field of population reproduction has worsened in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic in Russia and the Komi Republic. The study reveals that reproductive attitudes in all generations are the best in 2013. The significant success in this period is the growth of reproductive attitudes even among young cohorts. Further in 2020, the expected number of children decreased in all age cohorts. In 2020, the pattern remains – the lowest reproductive orientations are in the two youngest age cohorts of 1996–2000 and 2001–2005 birth. Discussion and Conclusion. The main result of the work was the confirmation on the example of the northern region of Russia the thesis that the growth of the standard of living is accompanied by an increase in the reproductive attitudes of the population and the birth rate, and vice versa. From a theoretical point of view, the usefulness of the article lies in the description of the processes of fertility and the dynamics of the reproductive attitudes of the population, taking into account the changing socio-economic and epidemiological conditions. From a practical point of view, the information obtained can be useful as an assessment of future fertility prospects and confirmation of the high role of the socio-economic well-being of the population in addressing the issue of increasing the level of children in the families.