Evolução das taxas de fecundidade na Paraíba

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the evolution of fertility rates in Paraíba according to the IBGE censuses of 2000, 2010, and 2022. Regarding the approach, the research was classified as quantitative, aiming to describe the results of the study; regarding the procedures, documentary. The results indicate that fertility rates in Paraíba showed a reduction based on the IBGE censuses of 2000, 2010, and 2022. This reduction was observed in the TFT, which went from 2.53 children per woman in 2000 to 1.62 in 2022, representing a reduction of 35.96%. This decrease is accompanied by changes in the age structure of mothers, with a reduction in fertility among younger women (15 to 24 years old) and a slight increase or stabilization among women in older age groups (30 to 39 years old). A change in the age concentration of fertility was also observed over the period studied. While in the 2000 census, births were predominantly concentrated in the younger age groups (especially between 20 and 24 years old), in the 2022 census this concentration migrated to older age groups (between 30 and 44 years old). These changes signal a process of transformation, both in the reproductive calendar and in family organization and in the way motherhood is planned and experienced by women. Based on the findings, the study concluded that Paraíba is in an advanced stage of the demographic transition. The reductions in the fertility rate evidenced in the study demonstrate that, in the near future, the state will face more challenges related to population aging, indicating the need for actions that adapt to this reality and that contemplate the health system, social security and the labor market.