[Fertility of indigenous women in Minas Gerais State, Brazil: an analysis using the 2000 census]

Indigenous populations living in villages in Brazil have presented high total fertility rates (TFR) that have increased over time in some cases. Meanwhile, data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) or National Census Bureau show a decline in the TFR for the total self-declared indigenous population (combining urban, rural, and specific rural residence). The current study uses data from the 2000 Population Census to describe and compare the structure and level of period fertility for the cohort of self-declared indigenous women living in the State of Minas Gerais. We calculated age-specific fertility rates (ASFR), the period TFR for 2000, and the cohort TFR for women 50 years and older. According to the findings, self-declared indigenous women living in Minas Gerais experienced high fertility in the past, regardless of their place of residence. In conclusion, the 2000 Population Census is an important data source for studies on indigenous populations in Brazil, based on the high coverage and wealth of information.