Uvodnik
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF NATURAL FERTILITY DECREASE DURING THE REPRODUCTIVE PERIOD
Ljiljana Randić
; Medicinski fakultet Sveučilišta u Rijeci, Moše Albaharija 12, 51 000 Rijeka
Sažetak
In spite of the enormous increase of human’s life-span, which we are witnessing throughout history, the woman’s reproductive period did not follow a similar trend and has been only slightly prolonged due to earlier menarche. However, the whole reproductive period has not an equal reproductive potential and natural fertility decline starts in women already at the age of 30 years, in men approximatelly 20 years later. In contemporary developed societies the postponement of pregnancy for a later period in life, mostly due to prolonged eduacation and professional career, became more a rule than an exception. Unfortunately, such a praxis has resulted in increased number of couples with infertility problems. The hope of these couples that today all their problems can be solved by the use of modern assisted reproductive technologies was, obviously, exaggerated. Although these technologies made possible for million of men and women around the world to become parents, the efficiency even of these methods is influenced by advanced age. This is the reason why everybody has to be informed on time about the age related decline in fertility. Fully informed persons can plan their life’s priorities choosing the most adequate timing for their own parenthood.
In countries like Croatia, where significant negative demographic trends are present, the age related decline in feritlity is becoming more and more important. In Croatia, namely, natality rate has dropped from 24.6 in the period between 1948 and 1953 to less than 10 in 2008. Consequently, from 1991 Croatia has constantly increasing negative natural population growth. Total fertility rates are from 1959 onward continously under 2.1 which is the lowest limit for zero population growth; in 2007 TFR was only 1.4. The average age of a mother at first birth has increased from 22.8 in 1970 to 26.8 in 2007. A similar increase of average age of bride and groom at first marriage was also noticed, meaning that all the necessary prerequisites for at least zero population growth are missing and it is hard to expect their change in the near future. Thus, a lot has to be done not only at the individual and educational level, but also by an adequate state’s population policy including the liberalisation of the laws dealing with the accessibility of all modern assisted reproductive technologies.
Ključne riječi
fertility; decrease; men; women; age
Hrčak ID:
65953
URI
Datum izdavanja:
1.9.2009.
Posjeta: 1.030 *