The reproductive period and fertility in rural Portuguese women: Time trends of biological and behavioural determinants

Abstract

Background: This paper studies the influence of biological and behavioural determinants on the reproductive period and fertility of older, rural Portuguese women (Municipality of Oleiros) and their mothers and describes the secular trends 1880–1940.

Method: The reproductive histories of 337 women who were 44 years and older were obtained through personal interviews. Participants were also asked about the reproductive events of their mothers.

Results: The women's mean values of reproductive variables were: marriage age, 22.80 ± 3.89 years, age at first birth, 24.46 ± 4.11 years, age at last birth, 32.26 ± 6.56 years, childbearing periods, 7.76 ± 6.20 years, and effective number of children, 3.25 ± 2.06 children. The childbearing periods of participants' mothers were 8.59 ± 6.98 years, with an age at first birth of 25.11 ± 4.31 years, age at last birth of 35.33 ± 6.14 years and effective number of children of 4.45 ± 2.19 children. The women's age at marriage and the age at last birth were related to childbearing period and effective number of children. Participants were younger at first birth and at last birth and had a lower effective number of children compared to their mothers.

Conclusions: Over time mean values of the reproductive events and the effective number of children decreased slowly and were likely influenced through cultural, behavioural and healthcare changes occurring in the region.

Keywords::

• Reproductive period
• fertility
• secular trends
• Portugal

Acknowledgements

The author is very grateful to Professor Émile Crognier for insights into the studies of fertility determinants in human populations and reproductive success. I thank all the participant women for their life histories, as well the staff of the Centro de Saúde and the staff of Conservatória do Registo Civil of Oleiros.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.