Challenges of raising fertility

The article considers possible directions of increasing the birth rate - the main target indicator of demographic development. In terms of fertility, the further goals of demographic development involve an increase in the birth rate of the first child, as well as an increase in the number of families with three or more children. Achieving these goals requires a clear definition of socio-demographic groups that can make the greatest contribution to increasing fertility and development of measures to stimulate their reproductive activity. A set of such measures is considered as a mechanism for stimulating reproductive behavior. At the same time, the socio-demographic groups that can make the greatest contribution to increasing the birth rate are considered in the age, territorial (city-village) and social aspects. The presented work was aimed at finding the ways of solving these problems. Structurally, it includes four sections: assessment of the current state of reproduction of the population, natural resources of fertility, a mechanism for stimulating reproductive behavior, conclusions and proposals. Demographic development of our country can be ensured by reducing the age of mother at the birth of the first child, increasing the frequency of births, as well as increasing the number of large families in rural areas and the average size of families in the cities where the majority of residents are concentrated. And it is quite possible to do this in large cities mainly due to an increase in the birth rate of the first child, and in small and medium urban settlements - due to a reduction in mortality and at least a small increase in the number of large families.