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Delayed childbearing in contemporary Spain: trends and differentials

Délais dans la procréation en Espagne contemporaine: tendances et différences

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Abstract

During the last decade, family formation patterns in Spain have undergone a process of substantial transformation. Younger cohorts are increasingly postponing marriage and, once they enter marriage, they tend to delay childbearing. Partly as a result of these timing shifts, period measures such as total fertility rates are likely to underestimate “true” fertility levels. This study focuses on the first stage of family formation: the transition to motherhood. Following a birth interval approach, the analysis depicts recent trends and differentials in the timing of first birth and explores the role of premarital pregnancies and contraceptive practice on first interval dynamics.

Résumé

Durant la dernière décennie en Espagne, les types de constitution de la famille ont connu de substantielles transformations. Les plus jeunes cohortes prolongent leur célibat et, une fois mariées, tendent à retarder leurs naissances. En partie comme un effet de ces changements temporels, les mesures transversales, telles que la fécondité cumulée, sous-estiment vraisemblablement les “vrais” niveaux de la fécondité. Cette étude concentre son attention sur la prémière étape de la formation des familles: la transition vers la maternité. En utilisant une approche longitudinale, on analyse les tendances et les différences dans le calendrier de la première naissance et l'on explore le rôle des grossesses prémaritales et des pratiques contraceptives sur la dynamique de l'intervalle entre mariage et première naissance.

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  1. Population Division, United Nations, DC2-2056, 2 United Nations Plaza, 10017, New York, NY, USA

    Teresa Castro Martín

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  1. Teresa Castro Martín
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Martín, T.C. Delayed childbearing in contemporary Spain: trends and differentials. Eur J Population 8, 217–246 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01797211

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01797211

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