Interactions between fertility and migration. Catalonia’s 2007 foreign-born population

This paper analyses interactions between fertility and migration using 2007 data on foreign populations living in the Spanish region of Catalonia. By interactions we do not only understand the effects of the migratory movements on reproductive behaviours, but also that fertility behaviour at place of origin can also have an impact on the migration process. In order to study these interactions, we choose to take all migrants’ reproductive life of into consideration, that is to say, to examine all the time before and after the main migratory event. We use a retrospective survey with complete reproductive biographies, both for native-born and women born abroad. Age specific fertility rates and duration of stay specific risks of birth have been calculated. Results are analyzed taking into account age at migration, continent of origin and union status at time of migration.