A Study on Natives and Immigrants’ First Birth Patterns in South Korea and Their Influencing Factors

Abstract

This paper is to understand the fertility behavior of native and immigrant women in South Korea. We conducted a discrete-time survival analysis with the 2020 census 20% sample microdata to analyze immigrants' first birth patterns and influencing factors. In both the integrated (native and immigrant) model and immigrant models, sociodemographic factors such as immigrant status, marital status, educational attainment, and birth cohort differed in the speed and eventual level of first birth patterns. In the integrated model, the fertility behavior of immigrants was adjusted across education levels and birth cohorts. In the case of the immigrant model, the risk of first birth increased before and after the arrival of the immigrant, and the magnitude of the increase varied by the country of origin, confirming that the length of residence is also a factor influencing the first birth patterns. The analysis reveals heterogeneity within immigrants, which is crucial for understanding their fertility behavior.