Birth intervals regarding infant mortality and extramarital reproduction in a Spanish rural community
Fuster, V.; Jiménez, A.; Morales, B.
Journal of Biosocial Science 27(4): 421-429
1995
ISSN/ISBN: 0021-9320 PMID: 7593049 DOI: 10.1017/s0021932000023038Document Number: 294310
The aim is to examine birth intervals in relationship to legitimacy and illegitimacy status, parity, and sex of the child. Data are obtained from reproductive histories during 1871-1950 from 1489 rural couples living in 52 hamlets in rural Galacia, Spain. The total study area population amounted to about 5000 people. 1102 reproductive histories were selected among women who had at least two live children (6120 children). The mean family size was 5.5 children. Maternal age at first birth was lower among families larger than 2. Shorter birth intervals were found among 2 consecutive siblings who were both born after the marriage. The longest birth intervals were found among consecutive siblings where the 1st 2 were illegitimate and the 3rd was legitimate (iiL). This iLL combination may mean different paternity. Birth intervals were longer for all combinations of legitimate and illegitimate births when births have survived. For legitimate and illegitimate children birth intervals were significantly higher up to parity 6 when the preceding child survived. Infant mortality of the preceding child was found to shorten the birth interval. The exception was among legitimate births in early parities up to 2, where survival or death or sex of the child did not result in interval variation. Variation in the age of the mother at 1st birth explained the association between a short interval between the marriage and first birth. Interbirth intervals were longer in small families.