Fertility In El Salvador

Fertility
El Salvador 1985 and 2011 Prior to 1985 El Salvador was the target of an international campaign promoting contraceptive awareness and use (Jane T. Bertrand, Santisto G., Cisneros, Mascarin, and Morris). The disparity between the 1985 age specific fertility rates and the 2011 age specific fertility rates is a result of a steady campaign to educate the population on the importance of contraceptive use and family planning. By 2011 the general fertility rate has fallen by almost half and the total fertility rate is just above replacement level. Awareness and availability of contraceptives is high. If this trend continues it is very likely that El Salvador will complete the demographic transition within the next twenty to thirty years.

Even though the country was in the beginning of a civil war and had a smaller population, fertility rates were high for almost all women of childbearing age, with the exception of the 10-14 and 45+ age ranges. This trend can be clearly seen in both Figure 1 and Table 1. The general fertility rate for El Salvador in 1985 was 92.51 live births per one thousand women. The total fertility rate was 3.94 children per woman. Young mothers in the 10-14 age range had the second lowest number of births and age specific fertility rates. They averaged 1.67 live births per one thousand women, resulting in 538 children. Mothers who were 15-19 years old at the time of birth averaged 102.21 live births per one thousand women. Mothers between the ages

The general fertility rate was almost half of what it was in 1989 at 49 live births per one thousand women and the total fertility rate was approaching replacement level at 2.22 children per woman. Fertility rates were highest for ages 20 through 29. Young mothers in the 10-14 age range had the third lowest age specific fertility rates with 2.91 live births per one thousand women. Mothers in the 15-19 age range averaged 74.37 births per one thousand women. Mothers in the 20-24 age range had the highest fertility rate with 122.20 live births per one thousand women. Mothers aged 25-29 had the second highest fertility rate with 103.92 live births per one thousand women. Mothers aged 30-34 averaged 81.48 live births per one thousand women. The decline in fertility starting at age 35 seen in 1985 is also present in 2011. Mothers in the 35-39 age range averaged 43.66 live births per one thousand women. Mothers between the ages of 40-44 averaged 13.71 live births per one thousand women and mothers aged 45-49 averaged 1.03 live births per one thousand women. Mothers over the age of 50 had the lowest fertility rate, with .12 live births per one thousand womem (Yearbook 2013). In both years fertility peaked between the ages of 20 and 24. In 1985 the rise in fertility is far more abrupt than in 2011, and the higher rates of fertility last longer as well. In 1985 the age specific fertility rate hits triple digits