Childbearing patterns in Sweden for native-born and foreign-born

Lotta Persson, Statisitics Sweden

Foreign-born women have higher fertility than women born in Sweden (TFR 2007: Swedish-born 1.82 and Foreign-born 2.21). Since 2008 separate fertility assumptions are made for Swedish-born and different groups of foreign born women in the population projection for Sweden. The purpose of the study is to provide better understanding of fertility trends for the foreign-born women. The childbearing patterns of the foreign-born is compared with the patterns of the Swedish-born. A cohort approach is applied and childbearing patterns by birth order for cohorts 1960–64, 1965–69, 1970–74 and 1975–79 are studied. Results show that women born in Nordic countries, in EU-countries and in countries with high HDI (Human Development Index) have very similar birth patterns as the Swedish-born. Women born in the remaining European countries (except the Nordic countries and EU-countries) and in medium HDI-countries have higher fertility, but for later born cohorts the differences seem to decrease.