Contemporary Trends in Russia’s Fertility Rate and the Impact of State Support Measures

Abstract

Russia’s fertility rate jumped after 2007, when new state measures were introduced to support families with children. This article analyzes the structure of this increase and factors that have contributed to a growth in the fertility rate. In 2007, the greatest gains were made in terms of second and subsequent births, while the fertility rate for first births has remained virtually unchanged. The effectiveness of demographic policy measures taken since early 2007 in regard to the fertility rate can be evaluated on the basis of statistical calculations as an additional amount of 0.259 of the total fertility rate, which amounts to 35.4 percent for second and subsequent births and 17.1 percent for all births. Thus, there are grounds to speak about positive shifts in fertility rate indicators not just for hypothetical generations, but also for real generations.

Keywords:

• average age of mothers
• birth order
• demographic policy
• fertility rate
• maternity capital
• support for families with children

Notes

1. However, TFR dropped by 0.05 in 2005; if we only use the years when it increased in our calculations, then the average growth is 0.033.

2. “World Values Survey 2013.” www.worldvaluessurvey.org (access date October 1, 2016).