FAMILY FORMATION PATTERNS AMONG MIGRANT WOMEN IN SYDNEY

A demographic survey among a probability sample of 980 married migrant women was carried out in Sydney in 1988. The sample included 507 Leba nese, 250 Turkish and 223 Vietnamese women. The study revealed differe nces in family formation patterns within and between the three groups and between them and the general population. Family size had declined among all three groups compared with their family of origin, and it wa s clear that the younger women would not achieve the same family sizes as the older women. Migrant women tended to marry earlier than the ge neral population and to start their families earlier. While they showe d a strong preference for their children to marry within their own eth nic and religious group, nearly one-third said it was up to the choice of the individual. Overall, the future family size of younger migrant women is expected to converge towards the Australian norm. Migrant fa milies are in a state of transition between two cultures which needs t o be recognised by health and family planning service providers.