Contextual and Policy Influences on Childbearing Intentions and Births in Taiwan

Yu-Hua Chen, National Taiwan University
Chin-Chun Yi, Academia Sinica

Taiwan has experienced very low fertility as other East Asian societies. This research begins with a brief description of transition in timing of childbearing and marriage. The increase in cross-border marriages and its contribution to fertility are then discussed. In addition to explore institutional context of low fertility, it is important to consider value of children, expense of raising a child as well as resource a family has. Analyzing a 3-generation sample of grandmothers, their daughters, and daughter’s adolescent children, this paper examines the relationship of socioeconomic context, value of children, and reproductive outcome. The results show that emotional benefits of having children are the most reported reason over generations, but cultural norms such as elderly support and social relation have lost their importance. The impact of value and culture on actual births has been substituted by social and demographic characteristics. Whether newly proposed pro-natal family policies could remove socioeconomic constraints are evaluated.