Italian Fertility: an Historical Account

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This article presents a brief synthesis of our knowledge about the evolution of fertility in Italy. The late start of the demographic transition in Italy, compared with other countries of western Europe, was due to the persistence of high mortality levels and Italy's particular vulnerability to fluctuations and crises up until the 1870s. This situation prevented fertility limitation, which had been practiced in small areas and groups earlier in the nineteenth century, from spreading among the rest of the population until the end of century. Once underway, fertility limitation spread from the Central-North to the South, from west to east, and from urban to rural areas. As a consequence of this process, a peak of variability in Italian fertility patterns was reached during the 1930s, when areas and categories with very low fertility levels coexisted with others in which natural fertility still prevailed.