When we consider socioeconomic factors and their impact on births, the most prominent idea is changing cultural norms and values for women in society. It is evident that women have been offered an increasing number of opportunities in both private life and public life. This is recognised particularly in stage 3 where there is a dramatic decline of approximately 40% (Lee 2003, P.173) in the fertility rate particularly in developed countries of the early 20th century. Lee (2003) argues the significant change for women has a strong correlation with child rearing and child bearing in their adult lives. One idea looks at Reher’s (2011) study on ‘Reproductive Efficiency’ which looks at the goals individuals have in terms of reproduction and bearing children. He argues that these goals have over time changed so that many people would prefer less children, 2 or less in 1980 (PRB 2004, P.9) and this therefore supports Lee’s theory that women has less of a demand for children. The reason for these lifestyle choices are a result of socioeconomic transitions in society. One transition in particular is the drive for women in the workforce which traditional society originally opposed because men were seen as the fixed wage earner within marital couples and families. Post-modern society however has encouraged women into the labour market and limits their possibilities of having children and so instead of investing in their domestic lives they invest in their career opportunities and that impacts on fertility rates as there are less instances to begin a family. Income as a socioeconomic change in demography is one of many ways there has been a reduced demand for children particularly among working women in a modernised
