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Dorbritz, Jürgen; Ehlert, Jörn; Dreschmitt, Kai (2017)
BiB Working Paper 1/2017. Wiesbaden: Bundesinstitut für Bevölkerungsforschung
URN: urn:nbn:de:bib-wp-2017-011
The study aimed to detect and explain differences in fertility behaviour on a small-scale basis in Berlin (region of inquiry). The data was provided by the Statistical Office of Berlin-Brandenburg for 60 different regions within Berlin. Eventually only 59 regions were taken into account since the low number of cases in the region of Forst Grunewald made an analysis impossible. There are huge differences between the total fertility rate, the shares of non-marital births, the age at birth and the age-specific distribution of fertility rates. The interaction of these indicators has led to a great number of specific fertility patterns. These patterns diversify further if a distinction is made between the marital and non-marital fertility of Germans and non-nationals. Regarding the total fertility rate, there is a clear pattern: low birth rates can be found in the regions close to the centre. The average birth age is particularly high in the city centre and in the wealthier residential areas in the south-west of Berlin. The traditional differences between East and West continue regarding the shares of non-marital births with high numbers in the regions of former East Berlin. The following situations can be identified regarding the interaction of the three fertility indicators: The correlation of birth rate and age at birth reveals that fertility is decreasing with higher ages at birth. However there are regions (Frohnau-Hermsdorf), where a very high fertility is connected to a late childbirth. A high marital fertility is connected to a low non-marital fertility and vice versa when differentiating between marital and non-marital fertility. Six specific age patterns can be found taking the age-specific dimensions into account. In the region of Wedding, for example, a low fertility at a young age and a fertility peak after the age of 30 is currently the dominating pattern. The fertility rate of non-nationals increases at an earlier stage and remain on a relative high level for a long time. The region of Neukölln is characterised by a bimodal distribution, which results from the high teenager fertility among non-nationals and late births among Germans. In the region of Marzahn high fertility rates can be found among younger people, which similarly applies to Germans as well as to non-nationals. The impact on the fertility rate, shares of non-marital births and age at birth was analysed by taking the index of social status, proportion of non-nationals, the residential area and the share of welfare recipients into account. The index of social status, which is mainly based on school and vocational education, turned out to have the biggest influence.