Fertility Patterns and Trends Among the Old Order Amish

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Abstract
Using statistics from an Amish census, a survey of couples, and family genealogy trends in Old Order Amish fertility during this century were examined. Also examined were factors which may explain variations in fertility. Amish fertility has remained high and there is no evidence of a downward trend. Comparisons with Hutterite fertility show that while marital fertility rates are similar for young women, the rates for older Amish women are much lower than those for older Hutterite women. Limited evidence of fertility control among women of high parity and among non-farm wives, but most variation in individual fertility is due to physiological factors, some of which appear to be passed from 1 generation to the next. The main form of population control among the Old Order Amish is apostasy, and rates of apostasy have been rising. The family backgrounds of the leavers are examined.

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