Preliminary findings of China's detailed fertility survey (the first phase)
Population Research 3(4): 29-43
1986
ISSN/ISBN: 1002-6576 PMID: 12342177 Document Number: 347155
This article summarizes findings of a fertility sampling survey conducted in April 1985 in the Hebei and Shaanxi provinces and Shanghai, China. Altogether, 13,307 married women of reproductive age were interviewed. The results of the nuptiality section, which surveyed 19,956 women aged 15-49 show that 1) a high marriage rate, a low divorce rate, and a stable marriage relationship exist; 2) during the past 30 years, the number of early marriages has declined remarkably and the median age at marriage has risen; 3) in the past 30 years, the peak age at 1st marriage has risen rapidly for women in Shanghai and Hebei while it has risen relatively slowly for women in Shaanxi; 4) in the past 10 years, the mean age at 1st marriage has increased more than 1 year for Shanghai women, has fluctuated for Shaanxi women, and has decreased for Hebei women; and 5) the total 1st marriage rates were high in the early 1980s, but declined slightly in 1984. Factors which influence nuptiality include 1) education on late marriage, and 2) elimination of arranged marriage. The results of the fertility and infant mortality section show that 1) the number of children ever born has been decreasing year by year, 2) a low proportion of primarily infertile women exists, 3) the parity progressive ratio declined rapidly in Shanghai, but more slowly in Hebei and Shaanxi; 4) infant mortality has declined considerably in the last 25 years, because of improvements in medical and health services; 5) age at 1st birth is increasing; and 6) the magnitude of the rise in median age at 1st birth is smaller than the median age at 1st marriage. During the last 10 years, 1) fertility has declined in both Shaanxi and Hebei; 2) the mean age at childbirth has decreased somewhat; 3) the 1-child policy has won wide response; and 4) among infants born 1980-1983, the mortality rate is 19.3 per 1000 in Shanghai and over 34 per 1000 in both Hebei and Shaanxi. The results of the contraception section show that 1) contraceptive knowledge is widespread, 2) during the past 30 years, the mean number of contraceptive methods ever used more than 1, 3) of currently married women, 70-80% are currently practicing contraception.