Development, Women's Situation and Fertility

The general pattern that emerges from this study is that women's situation in Mexico generally improves with increased development level, while fertility declines at higher development levels. The author reviews literature relating aspects of women's status to development and places the study in Mexican historical context. Specific findings indicate that women's situation in each state and the Federal District measured by relative access to resources is strongly positively related to general development level of the state and weakly positively related to state longevity and education development level. The first relationship is "U-shaped" when data from the Federal District is included, but linear otherwise; the second relationship is also "U-shaped," but weak. Women's situation measured by relative access to basic services is strongly related to life/education development level. The former relationship is inverse "U-shaped" when data from the Federal District is included, but positive and linear otherwise; the latter relationship is linear. Fertility is most strongly negatively affected by general development level while being positively related to women's access to services and life/education development level. The author discusses the special cases of the Federal District containing Mexico City, and two Mayan states of Yucatan and Quintana Roo.