Despite regional variation in fertility, rural-urban differences in the realization of fertility intentions have not been addressed in previous research. This paper analyzes the realization with data from 11 European countries, employing binomial and multinomial logistic regression models, decomposition analyses, and examining the role of contextual factors. The results demonstrate that realization is lower in urban than in rural regions. In cities, postponement of childbearing is much more common. This can be partly explained by differences in characteristics (e.g., age, partnership status) of inhabitants who intend to have a(nother) child. Furthermore, contextual factors such as educational and economic opportunities play a role.
Keywords: Generations and Gender Survey; J13; P25; R00; Y80; fertility intentions; urban–rural differences.
© 2019 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.