Reproductive behavior of Russian women with different levels of education

On May 28, 2025, a seminar titled "Reproductive behavior of Russian women with different levels of education" explored variations in the reproductive behavior of birth cohorts of Russian women. 

The presentation was delivered by Kirill Chertenkov, a research assistant at the International Laboratory for Population and Health, who shared the findings of his research.

Relevance
Education is a key component of human capital, with more educated individuals often leading social and demographic modernization. Educational attainment also correlates with socioeconomic characteristics, and women with lower education levels face a higher risk of poverty upon childbirth.

Findings
The seminar highlighted a clear negative educational gradient in fertility among Russian women: those with higher education tend to have fewer children on average, while women with the lowest education levels have the most. Among women without secondary education, starting with the cohorts born in the 1950s and younger, there is a consistent increase in the proportion of childless women - reaching over 10% in the 1960s cohorts, significantly higher than among women with secondary or higher education. At the same time, women without secondary education are more likely to have multiple children, indicating polarization within this group. This group likely includes women who could not continue their education and members of certain ethnic minorities.

Analysis of surveys on reproductive plans and current birth statistics shows that women with secondary or higher education plan their families more effectively. In contrast, women with lower education levels are more likely to experience unplanned pregnancies and have children out of wedlock, which impacts the security of both mother and child.