Childbearing Intentions of Migrants: Russians in Estonia Against the Background of Sending and Host Populations

Liili Abuladze, Estonian Institute for Population Studies, Tallinn University
Allan Puur, Estonian Institute for Population Studies, Tallinn University
Hanna Vseviov, Estonian Institute for Population Studies, Tallinn University

The aim of the study is to investigate childbearing intentions of Russians in Estonia relative to the sending and host populations as this might explain fertility differences between the population groups. Russian migrants and their descendants in Estonia show similarity to the origin country population in having lower propensity of second and third births than Estonians in Estonia, according to recent research. We are interested in the extent to which fertility intentions of Russian women converge with and exhibit difference from the patterns observed in the host country. Further, we are interested in which individual and contextual factors, especially attitudes with regard to gender roles facilitate or hinder the shift from origin to host country patterns. We use Estonian and Russian Generations and Gender Survey data (2004-2005). Women born in 1960-1983 are included in the analysis. We distinguish Russians living in Estonia, Estonians in Estonia and Russians in Russia based on self-reported ethnicity. Preliminary results indicate that the mean number of children born to Estonian women is the highest among the observed groups (1,51), followed by Russian women in Russia (1,29) and Russian women in Estonia (1,15). Correspondingly, Estonians have the highest mean number of born and intended children (1,85), followed by Russians in Russia (1,51) and Russians in Estonia (1,49). Descriptive results indicate that there are systematic differences in the gender role attitudes between the groups included in the study. Next we will employ logistic regression with intentions to have first, second and third child as dependent variables, controlling for demographic, socio-economic and normative characteristics.

Presented in Session 92: Migrant Fertility: Intentions and Behavior