title: [The decline of fertility in western europe: I. -- the appraisal (author's transl)].
abstract: The sharp decline in the number of births these last ten years is a general phenomenon in Western industrialised countries. As far as methodology is concerned, a clear distinction must be made between two concepts measuring fertility: completed fertility of successive generations, total fertility rate of successive years. The evolution of these two indicators of procreative behaviour is amazingly comparablefrom country to country, in spite of their various difference in termes of economic situation, of legislation (family allowances, contraception, abortion, divorce), predominant religion, etc...
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001723:Birth Rate; D003710:Demography; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility; D006801:Humans; D008423:Maternal Age; D008875:Middle Aged; D010298:Parity; D011158:Population Growth; D012725:Sexual Behavior
vernacular_title: La baisse de la fécondité en Europe occidentale. I. -- Le constat