The main difference between birth rate and fertility rate is that birth rate is the total number of births in a year per 1,000 individuals in a population whereas fertility rate is the number of live births in a year per 1,000 women of reproductive age in a population. Furthermore, the birth rate of a population is not age-specific while the fertility rate is age-specific. Moreover, the birth rate is the less refined way to measure fertility while the fertility rate is the more refined way to measure fertility as it accounts for the fertility of women concerning different reproductive ages.
In brief, the birth rate and fertility rate are two measurements of population growth. Generally, they are determined by the number of births per 1,000 corresponding individuals in a year.
Key Areas Covered
1. What is Birth Rate
– Definition, Features, Importance
2. What is Fertility Rate
– Definition, Features, Importance
3. What are the Similarities Between Birth Rate and Fertility Rate
– Outline of Common Features
4. What is the Difference Between Birth Rate and Fertility Rate
– Comparison of Key Differences
Key Terms
Birth Rate, Fertility, Fertility Rate, Live Birth, Population Growth
What is Birth Rate
The birth rate is the total number of live births per 1,000 individuals of a population in a year. However, this also refers to the crude birth rate. Here, the crude birth rate depends on the gender and age structure of the individuals of the population. It is higher when the population is rich in women of reproductive age.
Figure 1: Countries by Crude Birth Rate (CBR) in 2017
Typically, when the number of births remains relatively stable within a population, the crude birth rate decreases. It is mainly due to not having as many children as in the past. Furthermore, the crude birth rate also decreases when a particular population has a lower percentage of women of reproductive age. The average global birth rate was 18.5 births per 1,000 total population in 2016.
What is Fertility Rate
Fertility rate (FR) is the number of live births per 1,000 women in the reproductive age, which is 15 to 49. Fertility rates differ with different reproductive ages of women. Generally, the most fertile age group of women is 25-34. However, the crude birth rate considers the percentage of women in different reproductive rates in the population, usually, between 15 to 49. Therefore, when measuring the fertility of a particular population, the fertility rate becomes the most refined method, allowing the measuring of fertility by different age groups.
Figure 2: Map of Countries by Fertility Rate (2018), According to CIA World Factbook
The age-specific fertility rate (ASFR) refers to the fertility rate at a particular age. Basically, women with increased maternal age tend to develop health problems affecting pregnancy, including high blood pressure, diabetes, preterm birth, fetal growth restriction, and low lying placenta. In addition to this, the total fertility rate (TFR) refers to the average number of children borne per women of child-bearing age. It was 1.67 children in 2001 but, nowadays, it is 2. That means; women today have, on average, two children during their lifetime. However, when the TFR is less than 2.1 children born per woman in a steady population, the size of the population declines. Some of the reasons behind declined fertility rates include the prevention of unwanted pregnancies, greater access to abortion, higher levels of education among women, higher participation rates in the labor force for women, unstable employment, increased urbanization, and economic instability.
Similarities Between Birth Rate and Fertility Rate
- Birth rate and fertility rate are two measurements of population growth.
- They are determined by the number of births per 1,000 corresponding individuals in a year.
- The population of the given area has to remain stable during measuring the birth rate and fertility rate. Therefore, there is no immigration or emigration.
Difference Between Birth Rate and Fertility Rate
Definition
The birth rate is the total number of births in a year per 1,000 individuals in a population while fertility rate is the number of live births in a year per 1,000 women of reproductive age in a population.
Measurement Nowadays
Moreover, the average global birth rate was 18.5 births per 1,000 total population in 2016 while today, the total fertility rate is 2.
Targeted Entity of the Population
The total number of individuals in the population is considered in the birth rate, while only women in the reproductive age in a population are considered in the fertility rate.
Relationship with Age
While the birth rate of a population is not age-specific, the fertility rate is age-specific.
Importance in Measuring Fertility
The crude birth rate is the less refined way to measure fertility because it measures fertility by taking total individuals in the population into account. In contrast, the fertility rate is the more refined way to measure fertility because it measures fertility by taking the different reproductive ages of women into account.
Conclusion
The birth rate is one of the measurements of population growth. Generally, it measures the total number of births per 1,000 individuals in a population in a particular year. In contrast, the fertility rate is another measurement of population growth, considering the number of live births per 1,000 women of reproductive age in a population in a particular year. However, the fertility rate is the most refined way to measure the fertility of a population as it measures fertility in different ages of women of reproductive ages. The highest fertility rate occurs in the middle of the reproductive age of women. Therefore, the main difference between birth rate and the fertility rate is the type of measurement and their importance in measuring fertility.
References:
1. “Crude Birth Rate and Number of Live Births.” SIMCOE MUSKOKA Health STATS, Simcoe Muskoka DISTRICT HEALTH UNIT, Available Here.
2. “Fertility Rates.” SIMCOE MUSKOKA Health STATS, Simcoe Muskoka DISTRICT HEALTH UNIT, Available Here.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Countries by Birth Rate in 2017” By User:Ali Zifan (2014 map), Skimel (2017 actualization) – This file was derived from: Countries by Birth Rate in 2014.svg, 2017 actualization: Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Fertility rate world map 2” (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia
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