Farm background, socioeconomic status, and fertility: the two-generation hypothesis.

PIP: This paper examines whether the effects of farm background on socioeconomic differentials in fertility are diminished among nonfarm couples. The data are for a sample of white ever-married women belonging to the 1901-1910 birth cohorts. The research provides another test of the 2 generation-urbanite hypothesis 1st advanced by the Goldberg studies of Detroit and Indianapolis. Unlike a number of other studies, the findings do not support the hypothesis. Thus, a number of questions arise concerning the results obtained by previous investigators in support of this hypothesis. Different types of samples measuring farm background and socioeconomic status may be plausible explanations for the differing results. It is also important to note that both the Detroit and Indianapolis samples can hardly be considered representative of US urban populations in the 1940s and 1950s. A further difficulty with the Detroit study was that Goldberg aggregated the data of a relatively large number of cohorts. The Indianapolis sample was constrained by the eligibility requirements of the original study. The difficulties of adequately testing Goldberg's hypothesis may have been compounded by the extension of the hypothesis to nationally representative samples. Moreover, The hypothesis was not supported when education was used as a measure of socioeconomic status in the Detroit study. Until other studies can be carefully replicated, definitive answers to such questions as to whether fertility differentials by socioeconomic status will disappear or have become attenuated must remain an unanswered question.^ieng

Fertility control in the United States before the contraceptive revolution.

PIP: Women born in the 1st decade of the 10th century achieved the lowest average family size of any cohort of US women that has completed childbearing. A survey of white, ever married women whose childbearing years peaked during the 1920s and 30s whows that more than 70% practiced contraception, and that over 80% of contraceptors used the most modern methods then available. Although few admitted to use of sterilization for contraceptive purposes, nearly 30% were surgically sterilized before age 50, and the pattern suggests considerable use for contraceptive reasons. Those born in the latter 1/2 of the decade, who reached their peak reproductive years during the Depression, were more likely to have practiced contraception and to have used a modern method than those born earlier. Women who had 2 or more live births, those who were college educated, urban, white collar and non-Catholic were also more likely than others to have used contraception. There was considerable use of contraception to space children as well as to terminate childbearing. Only 3% reported having had an induced abortion, but the data suggest that many reported induced abortions (then mostly illegal) as miscarriages and stillbirths.^ieng