Migration and fertility in peninsular Malaysia: an analysis using life history data.

Abstract

Report on a study seeking to distinguish cause and effect in the statistical association between migration and fertility using data from the 1976-1977 Malaysian Family Life Survey. The strongest and most consistent findings support the hypothesis that migration is disruptive to fertility; nonmigrants had the highest fertility rates and multiple migrant women had the low fertility rates particularly when duration of residence is considered. Adaptation to fertility norms at destination occurs with increasing length of residence. However women of lower parity are more likely to migrate. Women who moved between 2 specified events e.g. marriage and 1st birth or births of specific parity experienced a longer interval between the events. Women who moved both between the ages of 20 and 29 and between the ages of 30 and 39 exhibit lower fertility than those who moved only during 1 of these age periods. That cultural factors and the rural or urban character of the migrants places of origin and destination are important is evinced by comparing the 3 major ethnic groups of Malaysia: for the Malays only urban to urban movement is associated with lower fertility; while for the Chinese rural to urban movement is associated with lower fertility; but for the Indians rural to urban movement is associated with higher fertility. Geographic mobility therefore is likely to have some effect on overall fertility levels but its extent will depend on the relative number of migrating women their ethnic background the point in their reproductive cycle at which they move and the rural/urban character of their places of origin and destination. Given the complexity of all these factors no clear set of policy implications emerges.