FERTILITY AMONG CENTRAL-AMERICAN REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS IN BELIZE

This study describes how international migration, including refugee st atus, affects both child spacing and awareness of and interest in fami ly planning. Guatemalan, Salvadoran, and Belizean women with children under six years of age (n = 133) were interviewed in a survey conducte d in 1989 in three settlements in Belize, Central America that have a high proportion of refugees and economic immigrants. Migration was cha racterized by women's nationality, residency status, and length of tim e in Belize. Over half of the women were interested in family planning , and two-thirds of them had discussed family planning with their spou ses. Among women interested in family planning, 62% could spontaneousl y mention a method of contraception; the pill and sterilization were e ach mentioned by a quarter of these women. The women had a median age of 28 years, averaged 4.5 live births, and wanted 1.5 additional child ren. There was no effect of migration on fertility, but when mother's age, parity, and available acreage were controlled for, refugees wante d twice as many additional children as permanent residents or those wi thout legal residency (p < .003). The latter had shorter intervals fro m migration to next birth (p < .02). Referral to family health service s when women immigrants and refugees register at entry is recommended, as are culturally and linguistically appropriate services available f or all women.