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SOCIAL SCIENCE A revolution in reproductive behavior has occurred throughout the developing world over the past three decades. The average number of births per woman has fallen by half, from six or more characteristic of traditional societies to around three in the contemporary developing world. This decline in fertility has been driven by a desire for smaller families, as social and economic changes have increased the cost of children and reduced their benefits. Contraceptive use, once rare, is now widespread. A key factor contributing to the rise in contraceptive use has been the rapid expansion of family planning programs, which has improved access to contraception. This in turn has permitted couples to implement their preferences for smaller families and reduce unwanted pregnancies. These trends have differed widely among regions and countries, with some populations completing the transition from high to low fertility very rapidly (e.g., Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan), while others (mostly in sub-Saharan Africa) have seen little change. On average, the pace of fertility change in the developing world has been substantially faster than it was in Europe and North America in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Despite these encouraging trends in reproductive behavior, high fertility—both wanted and unwanted—and its contribution to rapid population growth remain a concern of governments in many parts of the developing world. The main objective of this program of research is to improve understanding of the socioeconomic and behavioral factors that encourage or inhibit fertility decline and to identify policy options for reducing high fertility. A related objective is to improve the measurement of sexual behavior in surveys and in clinical trials. Projects
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