Migration and Fertility Preferences in Central Veracruz: A Qualitative Approach in the Sending Communities.

The fertility of migrants has been analyzed and explained through different hypotheses: disruption, adaptation, assimilation/acculturation, selectivity and socialization. Despite the fact that these hypotheses often refer to fertility preferences as an important fertility determinant, little is known about the relationship between migration and the fertility preferences. The objective of this research is to investigate changes in fertility preferences throughout the life course to distinguish between the effects of international migration and the effects of other factors (culture, social norms, family values) on the decision to have one or more children. Among other questions, this project attempts to answer in what ways do migrants negotiate their reproductive preferences with those of their partners? To carry out this research project, qualitative data concerning migration experience, fertility preferences as well as household decision-making will be collected through focus groups and in-depth interviews. The fieldwork has been carried out in a rural community located in central Veracruz. In addition, quantitative demographic data has been gathered from la Encuesta Nacional sobre los Niveles de Vida de los Hogares(ENViH). These data is being used to calculate and display basic descriptive statistics.