NON-MARITAL FERTILITY IN UKRAINE: MODERN FEATURES IN THE CONTEXT OF EUROPEAN DEMOGRAPHIC DEVELOPMENT

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NON-MARITAL FERTILITY IN UKRAINE: MODERN FEATURES IN THE CONTEXT OF EUROPEAN DEMOGRAPHIC DEVELOPMENT

Journal Title: Демографія та соціальна економіка - Year 2018, Vol 3, Issue

Abstract

The article is devoted to the common features and peculiarities of non-marital births in Ukraine and in other European countries, where there were significant changes in the structure of fertility by the marital status of the mother. It primarily manifested in the increasing proportion of children born out of marriage. A comparative analysis of the characteristics of non-marital births in Ukraine and the post-socialist European countries, which are our closest neighbors, and other European countries on the example of Spain, France, and Sweden, has shown that the change in the structural characteristics of non-marital births (by mother’s age, order birth) in our country follows European tendencies. At the same time, Ukraine has certain peculiarities due to earlier marriage and the earlier birth of children by married Ukrainian women, and this affects the “marital characteristics” (first of all, marriage structure of mothers) of the fertility of different age female groups. The problem of early (under 18) births (in most cases non-marital) which accompanied by significant risks both for young mother and her child, is not fully resolved, and this indicates very low level of culture of sexual behavior and lack of knowledge about the use of contraception by teenage girls. The non-marital birth rate in Ukraine is lower than in most European countries. This is due to both the historically formed sociocultural characteristics of the population, traditions, its demographic history (for many years the tradition of family behavior opposed the values which were actively imposed by the communist ideology) and the current level of material support of the population, the lack of economic independence and personal security, as well as the tradition of family practices and gender roles in parenting (care and upbringing of children is considered as responsibility of woman only). In the conditions of economic insecurity of the individual and the non-proliferation of the principles of responsible parenting, the mother and the child need the support of institutions authorized by the state, which is legally formal marriage.

Authors and Affiliations

L. I. Slyusar

Keywords

EP ID EP422881
DOI 10.15407/dse2018.03.026
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