In Post-Soviet Russia, Fertility Is on the Decline; Marriage and Childbearing are Occurring Earlier

Abstract

This article reports recent empirical findings on low fertility in Russia after the breakup of the Republics. The findings were presented at a 1995 conference on demographic trends in post-Soviet Russia. During 1989-94 fertility dropped to 1.4 births/woman. During the 1980s and under a pronatalist policy fertility peaked at 2.2 children/woman in 1987. There was a shift to earlier marriage and childbearing. Abortion was the main fertility regulation method. The abortion rate in 1992 was 98/1000 women aged 15-49 years. There were 2 abortions per birth. 26% of abortions were accomplished with vacuum aspiration. Most regions had a rate of 15-27/1000. 3.4 million abortions were performed in 1991 of which 71% in women aged 20-34 years. 10% were performed in women aged under 20 years. 68% of abortions were performed by 12 weeks of gestation and 30% were performed between the 13th and 21st week of gestation. One researcher attributed the fertility decline to rapid modernization and urbanization. Levels of education increased for men and women. The proportion of families in 1989 with 2 members increased to 34% and the proportion with 5 or more members declined to 13%. Larger families were more prevalent in rural areas and small families were more prevalent in urban areas. Cohabitation among the unmarried increased to 47/1000 among men aged 16 years or older and to 39/1000 among women aged 16 years or older. Childbearing before the age of 20 years increased from 18% among women born in 1959 to 26% among women born in 1972. The mean age of marriage declined during 1960-80 from 26 to 23 years. The proportion of out-of-wedlock births dropped from 14% to 11%. Nonmarital childbearing increased during the 1980s. By 1990 18% of births were to unmarried women. 18% in 1988 used an IUD and 3% used contraceptive pills. Sterilization was legalized in 1990 but only 1% had been sterilized by 1992.