Are Young Cohorts of Women Delaying First Birth in Mexico?

In the last decades female permanent sterilisation became the most used contraception method in Mexico. During this time the demand for pills, condoms and other short-term contraceptives fell consistently. The shift in the demand for contraceptives raises concerns among demographers that the timing of children may remain unchanged regardless observed reductions in period fertility rates. This paper assesses such ideas in the context of the timing of a first child using duration models as main analysis tool. Findings suggest that young cohorts of women are effectively delaying first birth relative to the experience of older generations.