Spatial variation of fertility in Poland by voivodship

The article describes the variation of fertility in Poland by voivodships in the period 1990–2009, separately for urban and rural areas. The analysis is based on the total fertility rate, the age-specific fertility rates (fertility patterns), and a median age of childbearing and their change over time. These variables are used to identify groups of similar voivodships. The underlying changes, whereby the peak in the age-specific fertility is shifted towards older age groups, demonstrate patterns of fertility transformation, which can be observed in several areas of Poland. It has been shown that the changes in fertility by voivodships were not homogeneous as to the intensity, but similar to the direction. A similar trend has been observed for changes in the total fertility rate. However, these considerations do not allow to believe that in all voivodships timing of fertility was a decisive factor of observed changes. In some voivodships the quantum effects were more important. This suggests that the transformation of fertility in different areas of Poland was not driven by the same determinants