Immigrant women averaging fewer children than their Danish counterparts

For the first time in history, non-Western families are accounting for fewer kids than ethnic Danes

Armelle Delmelle

Feb 21, 2022

It might be a common assumption among certain circles in society that immigrants to Denmark tend to have larger families for cultural reasons – and that the result is a drain on the welfare system.

However, according to Danmarks Statistik, immigrant women now have an average of 1.76 children while ethnically Danish women have 1.78.

First time in history
This marks the first time in Danish history that ethnically Danish women are having more children.

The figures reveal that the descendants of immigrants have even fewer children: an average of 1.75.

According to Kristeligt Dagblad, the fertility curve of non-western women has been going down for the last 30 years.

Natural adaptation
The development is natural, Anika Liversage – a senior researcher at Vive, the National Centre for Research and Analysis on Welfare – told Kristeligt Dagblad,

It does not mean that immigrants have the exact same view of the family as Danes do, she explains.

It is more about living in the same structural conditions. When everyone needs to be in the labour market, it puts a limit on how large a family should sensibly be.

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