Procréation et famille en Guadeloupe et dans la Caraïbe

Abstract

The comparison of trends and actual rates of fertility, maternal mortality and marriage between Guadeloupe, neighbouring islands, the countries of the Association of Caribbean States and France shows that this department is closer to other West Indian islands than to other states while, at the same time, exhibiting fairly different behaviour from Martinique. Although some of the differences can be explained by history, culture and overall levels of economic and social development, more specific social and political determinants emerge, whether it be poverty in the case of fertility and control over abortion, social benefits in the case of maternal mortality, or exclusion from the workplace as regards marriage behaviour.

Keywords

• abortion policies
• family
• fertility
• marriage rates
• maternal mortality
• West Indies