Sociodemographic differences of fertility intentions in Lithuania

Vlada Stankuniene, Lithuanian Social Research Centre

The research aims to investigate sociodemographic differences of fertility intentions in Lithuania within the context of lowering and low fertility and the changing economic situation. To reveal the dynamics of fertility intentions the findings obtained from the surveys carried out in Lithuania over the last fifteen years: Gender and Generations Surveys (two waves conducted in 2006 and 2009), Fertility and Family Survey (1994-1995), Population Policy Acceptance Study (2001) and the national survey Needs of Family Policy (2010) have been used for the analysis. The results of assessing the attitudes on the number of children desired and intended to have and of estimating the likelihood of plans for a(nother) child within the next three years show that over the last fifteen years not only the fertility rates in Lithuania have dropped significantly, but also have been going down fertility intentions (desired and intended number of children), which have fallen well below the replacement level. However within the context of the overall downturn of fertility intentions, the changes in different sociodemographic groups (by age, education, employment status, residence) have been occurring in different ways. The greatest sociodemographic differences are seen in short-term (during the next three years) fertility intentions which are quick to respond to the macro economic situation, as well.