Continuing high fertility in a culturally-embedded Mennonite farming society

Several embedded religious minority populations in the US have experienced fertilities consistent with natural fertility populations. In 1996, Wenger Mennonite total fertility reached 8.31.

This study updates Wenger fertility through 2006, highlights regional differences in fertility and identifies factors that may contribute to continuing high fertility.

The Wengers are a religious minority who employ distinctive clothing, a rural farming lifestyle and limited use of technology. They publish a church directory every five years with detailed records of births, deaths and marriages. This directory was transformed into an SPSS database that allowed detailed analysis of fertility behaviour through 2006.

Wenger total marital fertility continues to be high (8.01). Wenger women have almost no premarital conceptions, do not marry until their early 20s, but achieve very high fertility immediately after they marry. Sharp differences exist among various settlements, with the highest fertilities in the newer Midwestern settlements.

The Wengers continue to succeed in maintaining a distinct way of life and very high fertility in the midst of the larger US society. This fertility is tied to their high commitment to a rural farming way of life, strong community support and a pro-natalist ideology.