A Quantitative Analysis of Swedish Fertility Dynamics: 1751-1990

This paper analyzes the relationship between age-specific fertility, mortality and real wages in Sweden during the demographic transition. We fit a model of life cycle fertility to two and a half centuries of Swedish time-series data. The model fits the data well, accurately portraying the total fertility declines from more that four children per female before the mid-19th century to about two children today. About 80% of this decline was in fertility at female ages over 30. The fitted model implies that reductions in child mortality is the most important factor explaining the fertility decline. (Copyright: Elsevier)