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Published on: August 8, 2017
Summary
Indiana Amish families adjust marital fertility based on financial status. Wealthier households demonstrate higher fertility rates and larger family sizes compared to poorer ones.
Area of Science:
- Demography
- Sociology
- Economics
Background:
- The Indiana Amish represent a high-fertility Anabaptist population.
- Understanding fertility regulation within specific cultural and economic contexts is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between family finances and marital fertility regulation among the Indiana Amish.
- To examine how wealth and occupation influence fertility patterns over the course of a marriage.
Main Methods:
- Linked demographic data from the Indiana Amish Directory with personal property tax records.
- Analyzed fertility data at 5, 15, and 25 years post-marriage.
- Correlated family size and wealth across different stages of childbearing years.
Main Results:
- Positive correlations were found between family size and wealth at all measured intervals.
- Wealthier women exhibited higher marital fertility, longer first birth intervals, and larger families.
- Fertility rates among younger Amish women have been rising over the past 30 years, while remaining constant for older women.
Conclusions:
- Family finances significantly influence marital fertility decisions in the Indiana Amish population.
- Socioeconomic status is a key determinant of fertility patterns within this high-fertility group.
- Recent trends indicate a divergence in birth rates between younger and older Amish women.
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