Discuss the relationship between poverty and fertility rates.

In comparison to areas in developed countries such as Canada the fertility rates are quiet low due to less pressures and urges from social factors that encourage people to have children. Many people in developed countries are working in multinational firms while many do not marry till quiet late, and still many delay the possibility of having child due to high cost of living, work stress and family planning issues. In a survey 2010 produced that majority of working class families living Toronto reject the possibility of having child till very later on.  

However, France is a slightly different example because regardless of it being developed it has reasonably high fertility rates. These are mainly due to the pro-natalist policies in France that encourages people to have more children, set by the government in 1939. France has had a problem with its birth rate since the middle of the eighteenth century. France experienced  a period of population stagnation caused by low levels of fertility (desire to limit inheritance to fewer children, late marriage, high levels of celibacy) and higher than average levels of infant mortality (due to poor sanitation, nutrition and health care). This low level of fertility continued into the twentieth century and was furthered by such events as the two world wars, and the influenza epidemic of 1919. Therefore the country wanting to achieve a higher population for a larger work force and loss of people before it uses schemes such as incentives for couples more having more children including reduction on transport facilties, tax relief and space for house accommodation.

In addition to this, China a very rapidly developing country experiences very low fertility rates that can possibly induced by the fact of its strict anti-natalist policy, the 'One Child Policy' that was introduced in 1979 and although it was designed as a temporary measure it still continues today. The main reason was due to overpopulation caused the area to become much stretched and lack of space for housing and high pressures on the countries resources. There are very strict regulations on this policy with abortion cases and large fines acclaimed for people who disobey the regulations. This has been a very effective strategy for the government to control its rate of population growth.

Poverty is still very evident throughout the world however many goals and actions are being taken to improve living conditions and education in areas that are experiencing extreme poverty. Education and access to contraception and empowering women is a approach taken by the UN to help people in these areas to support and sustain themselves through making informed decisions about having a child. Therefore still a very strong link can be seen that areas that are experiencing poverty and also the ones experiencing high fertility rates.