How does the religion of parents affect fertility rates?

Answer 1

AnswerThe religion of parents used to affect fertility rates to a considerable degree. Since Catholics were banned from almost any form of contraception and were enjoined to have children, Catholics traditionally had much larger families than their Protestant peers.

However, people are much less guided by their Church doctrines now, and the differences in fertilitiy rates among Christians has disappeared. In fact, some European countries that are predominantly Catholic also have among the lowest fertility rates in the world.

Muslims tend to have a higher fertility rate than modern Christians, but sociologists believe that second and third generation Muslims in Western countries are moving towards the same fertility rates as their non-Muslim peers.