Brazil's Fertility Decline, 1965-95: A Fresh Look at Key Factors

Abstract

It is concluded that during Brazils rapid government-induced modernization declined. The reasons were increased motivation to control and the effects of institutional changes in health and social security. Social changes in institutions were introduced by the military regime in the mid-1960s. Mass media also influenced social behavior. There were high abortion and sterilization rates. These methods were used because of the interplay of attitudes policies and changing agendas of key power brokers that limited availability of other effective contraception. Fertility decline is also attributed to rapid urbanization which catalyzed other factors. The Brazilian government never had control policies or population targets. The population control establishment had an important influence by spreading awareness of the advantages of small family size and by establishing a climate conducive to control. It is posited that Brazilian decline illustrates that indirect impacts and unintended in the context of rapid social change can bring about decline. One caveat is that serious negative health consequences are possible when access to a wide variety of contraceptive methods is limited. Less researched areas which affected motivation for birth control are identified as changes in gender relations marital patterns intergenerational transfers of resources labor force participation household composition and urbanization. This article reviews the literature on decline as it is related to 1) determinants 2) key social actors (the government the Catholic Church womens groups the international population lobby and local representatives and health professionals) 3) modernization and socioeconomic factors 4) economic pressure inequalities and poverty 5) proximate structural determinants of fertility and 6) the urban transition.