Patterns of male and female fertility over the course of demographic transitions. Empirical illustration with data from historical and contemporary population.

Paper analyses patterns of male and female fertility over the first (FDT) and second demographic transition (SDT). Main hypothesis claims that both transitions led to unification of male and female fertility with respect to quantum although differences in tempo of reproduction remained unchanged. Hypothesis originates from biological and social perspective on human reproduction which predicts that males should enjoy higher reproductive outcome than females due to multiple and sequential mating and lower costs of reproduction. Thus, quantum of reproduction for males should be higher than for females in high fertility and high mortality settings. Differences in tempo of reproduction (age at parenthood) are attributed to better access to resources among older males which affects female mate choice. The difference in quantum of fertility should disappear as a result of transitions due to decrease in number of children per family, improvement in mortality conditions and contraception. Paper uses data form population which underwent FDT (reconstitution of parish registers from Bejsce in Poland, 1740-1968) and data from registration of births in Poland for period 1985-2011 (SDT). Hypotheses are tested with use of standard period measures: total fertility rate, age specific fertility rates and age at birth of child for all parties.