Why Fewer Babies? Understanding and Responding to Low Fertility in Europe

Abstract

The EU population is characterised by low fertility rates, delayed motherhood and an increase in childlessness among the younger generations. All EU Member States have now a Fertility Rates below the level needed for the replacement of generations. Surveys on fertility preferences however show that desired fertility is higher than actual fertility. Aim of the paper is to evidence the main factors determining low fertility in Europe, by reviewing the abundant existing literature. It is structured in three parts. The first presents data on fertility levels in European countries. The second provides a review of both classical and contemporary theories currently still under study, which explain the emergence of low fertility. The final section analyses the possible (controversial) role of policies responding to low fertility in the European population. A reflection on possible future scenarios is offered in conclusion

Childlessness and union histories: evidence from Finnish population register data

“…It is often argued that the antecedents of female and male childlessness are notably different (Fieder & Huber, 2007;Keizer et al, 2008;Yates et al, 2010;Tanturri, 2013). This paper found that, on the contrary, in terms of how childlessness relates to union dynamics across the life course, women and men are fairly similar.…”

Fading family lines- women and men without children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren in 19th, 20th and 21st Century Northern Sweden

“…More individuals prioritize careers and lifestyles that can be at odds with childbearing (Lesthaeghe, 1983;Liefbroer & Billari, 2010). Many perceive that there is an incompatibility between career goals, and childbearingand fear the costs of childbearing (both in terms of resources and time use), particularly early in adulthood (Balbo, Billari, & Mills, 2013;Tanturri, 2013). Some become childless because they postpone childbearing for too long, many fail to establish a stable partnership in time, while others are unable to conceive due to primary infecundity (Bennett et al, 2014;Merz & Liefbroer, 2012;Tanturri, 2013).…”

“…Many perceive that there is an incompatibility between career goals, and childbearingand fear the costs of childbearing (both in terms of resources and time use), particularly early in adulthood (Balbo, Billari, & Mills, 2013;Tanturri, 2013). Some become childless because they postpone childbearing for too long, many fail to establish a stable partnership in time, while others are unable to conceive due to primary infecundity (Bennett et al, 2014;Merz & Liefbroer, 2012;Tanturri, 2013). Some choose not to have children while others end up childless due to a variety of life events and unforeseen factors that means they may not be able to realize the fertility preferences they once or currently have (Mynarska, Matysiak, Rybińska, Tocchioni, & Vignoli, 2015).…”

Parenting orientations in young adulthood: Predicting timing of parenthood and quality of postpartum caregiving.

“…To date, prior research and causal theories that seek to explain population trends and individual differences in timing of parenthood have considered socioeconomic motives, cultural changes, gender equity, role preferences, and early developmental environments of risk and neglect (see Del Giudice & Belsky, 2011;Shanahan, 2000;Tanturri, 2014). Evidence for the latter suggests severe adverse environments in childhood might predict early reproductive maturity (Culpin et al, 2014).…”

“…In recent decades, there has been a marked population shift in the timing of developmental transitions, evident in an increasing gap between reproductive maturity and parenthood (Patton et al, 2018). Adolescence is argued to extend to 25 years; as a consequence, "early parenthood" is also protracted (Sawyer et al, 2018;Seiffge-Krenke, 2013;Tanturri, 2014). In middle-to high-income countries, reproduction in the fourth decade is now common, with the mean maternal age at birth above 30 years among most Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development Family Database, 2021).…”