Interaction between Rural/Urban Migration and Fertility: Decomposing the Differences
Resumo
This study investigates the intricate and less-explored relationship between women's migration and the fertility transition in Brazil. While some research suggests that migration may contribute to the persistence of high fertility rates, the underlying mechanisms of this interaction remain ambiguous. Contrary to expectations, other studies indicate that the fertility of migrants tends to be lower than that of non-migrants. This paper's primary objective is to investigate this relationship, focusing on understanding the patterns of rural-to-urban migration at the onset of the fertility transition in Brazil during the early 1960s. This study employs a cohort fertility approach and expands its geographic scope to encompass the entire nation, including its major regions. Our research aims to address the following key questions: (1) Do variations in fertility exist among different immigrant groups during the demographic transition? Furthermore, (2) What is the substantial impact of migration processes on reducing fertility rates? For the first question, our findings reveal a persistent fertility differential between rural-to-urban migrants and non-migrants, albeit diminishing across different cohorts but remaining notable in the North and Northeast regions. As for the second question, our analysis, based on decomposition methods, offers a positive response, with quantitative estimates indicating the significant role of migration in decelerating the pace of fertility decline in Brazil.
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