Age model of fertility in Vojvodina at the beginning of the 21st century

This paper presents an outlook on fertility trends of the population of Vojvodina in the first decade of the 21st century, a period that includes the results of the previous two Censuses held in 2002 and 2011. The main concern is identifying determinants of this development process and the dynamics regarding the age model of fertility as well as the way it is manifested in Vojvodina. Methodology of this research relies on evaluating age specific rates, determining its fluctuations and shifts in order to establish the course of the change. Census of 2002 and Census of 2011 provide useful data to complete fertility analyses. Total fertility rates also show the tendency of continuous decline therefore representing the shifts in the age model of fertility. After the devastating 1990s marked by wars and sanctions, the transitional processes were initiated at the turn of the millennium, leading to a change in socio-economic environment. Along with constant economic crisis and accompanying poverty, this situation strongly influenced reproductive behaviour of women and their attitude toward childbearing in general. The trend of late childbearing and a raise of women’s mean age at first birth continued