Table 1 Descriptive statistics for relevant variables used in the study overall and by region

World

  Total fertility rate, mean (SD)

5.29 (1.92)

4.82 (2.09)

4.25 (2.05)

3.55 (1.88)

3.03 (1.68)

2.74 (1.39)

  log GDP per capita, mean (SD)

5.84 (1.18)

6.31 (1.60)

7.09 (1.61)

7.32 (1.67)

8.06 (1.68)

8.68 (1.51)

  Life expectancy at birth, mean (SD)

56.35 (12.17)

60.09 (11.30)

63.66 (10.23)

65.73 (10.56)

68.32 (10.32)

71.95 (8.43)

  Female expected years of schooling, mean (SD)

-

-

-

10.26 (4.02)

11.82 (3.98)

13.36 (3.51)

  Human development index, mean (SD)

-

-

-

0.62 (0.17)

0.66 (0.17)

0.71 (0.16)

Western Europe and related countries

  Total fertility rate, mean (SD)

2.89 (0.54)

2.20 (0.57)

1.83 (0.40)

1.75 (0.36)

1.72 (0.35)

1.68 (0.36)

  log GDP per capita, mean (SD)

7.43 (0.54)

6.64 (2.60)

7.63 (2.56)

8.51 (2.40)

10.39 (0.63)

10.72 (0.41)

  Life expectancy at birth, mean (SD)

70.88 (1.90)

72.67 (1.68)

75.02 (1.32)

77.11 (1.17)

79.39 (1.24)

81.55 (1.07)

  Female expected years of schooling, mean (SD)

-

-

-

14.63 (1.82)

16.59 (1.88)

17.59 (1.93)

  Human development index, mean (SD)

-

-

-

0.83 (0.04)

0.88 (0.03)

0.91 (0.03)

Eastern Europe

  Total fertility rate, mean (SD)

2.83 (1.20)

2.51 (0.80)

2.23 (0.50)

1.71 (0.45)

1.48 (0.27)

1.59 (0.20)

  log GDP per capita, mean (SD)

6.04 (0.21)

6.84 (0.53)

7.36 (0.48)

7.42 (0.82)

8.31 (0.88)

9.14 (0.64)

  Life expectancy at birth, mean (SD)

67.22 (4.84)

69.04 (3.42)

70.07 (2.41)

70.45 (2.37)

72.63 (2.70)

75.52 (2.43)

  Female expected years of schooling, mean (SD)

-

-

-

11.83 (1.30)

13.87 (1.79)

15.62 (1.20)

  Human development index, mean (SD)

-

-

-

0.71 (0.05)

0.77 (0.05)

0.82 (0.04)

Latin America and the Caribbean

  Total fertility rate, mean (SD)

5.91 (1.19)

5.03 (1.16)

4.16 (1.06)

3.39 (0.87)

2.74 (0.63)

2.33 (0.41)

  log GDP per capita, mean (SD)

5.86 (0.62)

6.61 (0.73)

7.25 (0.66)

7.62 (0.77)

8.08 (0.74)

8.73 (0.70)

  Life expectancy at birth, mean (SD)

57.52 (7.21)

61.77 (6.41)

65.70 (5.91)

69.08 (4.92)

71.78 (4.26)

74.01 (3.62)

  Female expected years of schooling, mean (SD)

-

-

-

10.98 (1.60)

12.56 (1.80)

13.74 (2.15)

  Human development index, mean (SD)

-

-

-

0.63 (0.08)

0.68 (0.08)

0.73 (0.08)

Arab States

  Total fertility rate, mean (SD)

7.06 (0.59)

6.70 (0.94)

5.79 (1.27)

4.48 (1.45)

3.54 (1.32)

3.11 (1.10)

  log GDP per capita, mean (SD)

5.65 (0.87)

7.11 (1.50)

7.91 (1.37)

7.72 (1.43)

8.29 (1.39)

8.68 (1.26)

  Life expectancy at birth, mean (SD)

50.70 (9.01)

57.12 (8.92)

62.61 (8.31)

66.67 (7.54)

69.37 (7.04)

71.67 (6.28)

  Female expected years of schooling, mean (SD)

-

-

-

9.83 (3.28)

11.30 (3.30)

11.79 (3.29)

  Human development index, mean (SD)

-

-

-

0.61 (0.14)

0.66 (0.13)

0.68 (0.13)

Sub-Saharan Africa

  Total fertility rate, mean (SD)

6.78 (0.61)

6.91 (0.61)

6.65 (0.74)

5.96 (1.05)

5.40 (1.14)

4.78 (1.02)

  log GDP per capita, mean (SD)

4.88 (0.62)

5.56 (0.72)

6.14 (0.75)

6.10 (0.84)

6.41 (0.90)

7.01 (0.83)

  Life expectancy at birth, mean (SD)

42.38 (5.92)

46.75 (5.99)

50.66 (5.94)

50.17 (6.15)

52.19 (4.81)

59.61 (4.63)

  Female expected years of schooling, mean (SD)

-

-

-

5.95 (3.23)

7.36 (2.63)

9.60 (2.07)

  Human development index, mean (SD)

-

-

-

0.40 (0.11)

0.43 (0.08)

0.51 (0.08)

Asia

  Total fertility rate, mean (SD)

5.82 (1.25)

5.01 (1.61)

4.19 (1.69)

3.26 (1.56)

2.55 (1.27)

2.32 (0.91)

  log GDP per capita, mean (SD)

5.19 (0.81)

5.99 (1.24)

6.98 (1.40)

7.06 (1.64)

7.43 (1.61)

8.33 (1.40)

  Life expectancy at birth, mean (SD)

54.18 (9.75)

57.92 (10.73)

62.41 (9.14)

66.10 (7.58)

69.58 (6.72)

72.92 (5.97)

  Female expected years of schooling, mean (SD)

-

-

-

8.57 (2.89)

10.36 (3.00)

12.75 (2.41)

  Human development index, mean (SD)

-

-

-

0.57 (0.14)

0.64 (0.13)

0.70 (0.12)