Płodność i urodzenia pozamałżeńskie w Polsce

Abstract

The main aim of the paper is to present the past and the present picture of the extra–marital fertility in Poland. Starting with 16th century the evolution of numbers and frequencies of illegitimate births is described. Special attention is given to the 20th century, especially to its last decade. The data from the current registration and from population censuses have been used for the analysis, as well the works of the Polish historians of the family. The author tries to verify thesis which could be useful in explanation of the phenomenon’s development and spatial differentiation. The basic thesis are: 1) The proportion of the extra–marital births is very differentiated in the specified regions of Poland. Reasons which could help to explain the diversity should be asked in the past. 2) The change of the proportions of the out–of–wedlock children have been related to changes in the age composition of women and their distribution by marital status. The most important findings of the work is the determination that around one third of the increase in the extra–marital births which occurred in period 1960–1995 can be attributed to shifts in the woman composition by marital status.