Latest-Late Transition: Fertility and Reproductive Health of the Romani Population Living in Rome and Other Italian Cities

Gianpiero Dalla Zuanna, Università di Padova
Emiliana Baldoni, Università di Padova
Maria Castiglioni, Università di Padova

Studies of Romani reproductive behavior are absent in Italy, where the Romani population during the last 20 years has speedly grown, after the Balkan Wars and the entry of Romania in the EU. Using own-children method, we estimate fertility during 1997-2011 of Romani population living - mainly in camps formed by complex families - in four Italian cities (Rome, Milan, Naples and Padua). Fertility of Romani living in Rome in 1997-2011 declined from 5 children per woman to about 4.0, while the mean age at birth increased. Fertility at young ages is very high, even if far from the “natural” level, whereas it declines suddenly after age 35. Some in-depth interviews to health and social workers do not suggest a widespread use of birth control nor induced abortion. Other intermediate variables should be considered (age at marriage and the frequency of sexual intercourses).