Fertility intentions in Poland in the context of: preference theory, gender equality and social networks. (Results based on the qualitative survey supported by the quantitative ones)

Ewa Fratczak, Warsaw School of Economics
Aneta Ptak-Chmielewska, Warsaw School of Economics

Last 20 years of systemic changes in Poland influenced on demographic attitudes and behaviors, which effected in changes of demographic processes. The most important signs of those changes are: postponement of marriages and childbearing, increase of cohabitations and extramarital births, decreased number of births due to lower fertility. To understand transformation of fertility in Poland to very low level (actual TFR=1.3) it is necessary to identify determinants of this transformation including late fertility determinants diagnosis and fertility intentions. In the case of low fertility country – as Poland - fertility intentions are influencing by many processes The process of economy transition introduced many changes in the cultural and social relation at the level of individuals and at the level of institutions. The research work presented in the paper provides an empirical analysis based on two theories: gender equality theory and preference theory supported by social networks. The source of data for the analysis: “Late fertility diagnosis. Cohort prospective survey of demographic, socio-economic and health determinants”, with the framework of the project: „Epidemiology of procreative risks in Poland – multi-center, prospective cohort survey” conducted in Poland in 2007.(qualitative survey), partly supported by the results of 2008 (qualitative survey) Method of analysis: binary logistic regression Keywords: preference theory, gender equality, social networks-social capital, fertility intentions, lowest – low fertility and transition economy.