Race, Education, and Fertility: A Comparison of Black-White Reproductive Behavior

Abstract

The objectives of the 1971 Metropolitan Family Planning Survey which studied 715 ever married women age 15 to 44 were two-fold. 1) To study the relationship between age race and selected fertility variables in a metropolitan area and 2) to study if racial differentials were modified by education. 3 measures of family size preferences and fertility were used: 1) number of children considered ideal; 2) total number of children expected; and 3) number of children ever born. Results indicated that for ideal family size variable nonwhite women had a higher fertility ideal than white women and that family size varied directly with age. When the children ever born variable was analyzed results showed that nonwhite women had 20% higher fertility with the largest difference in the 15 to 24 age group. The authors contend that early childbearing limits alternatives to mother roles leading to higher fertility. Expected number of children also varied with age among white and nonwhite women. An inverse relationship was found between education and ideal family size in nonwhite women and irregardles of nonwhite attitudes toward larger number of children for ideal family size the reproductive behavior does not bear this out. There was a higher fertility rate for whites who have completed high school level or more education. The authors believe the minority group status theory explains the black white differentials at the higher educational level.