Two children per woman in France in 2010: Is French fertility immune to economic crisis?

Abstract

While economic slowdowns generally result in fewer births, the total fertility rate in France continued to increase in 2010 (2.00 children per woman versus 1.99 in 2009). The most recent recession occurred at a time when fertility was rising in most western nations. The recession reversed this trend in some countries, including the United States, or slowed down the increase in others, such as in Russia. France appears to be in the latter situation. Without the crisis, the total fertility rate would probably have increased even further, topping two children per woman in metropolitan France.