For women of appropriate age

17. Fertility (Only for women 15 years of age or older of whatever marital status)

11.5.5. Fertility. This question is presented to women, irrespective of their legal marital status or de facto conjugal status. Three distinct aspects of fertility are investigated on the census form. For the first two, letters a) and b), the reference period is, practically, all of the fertile life of the woman; that is, these two aspects should be investigated for all women 15 years of age and older. The third aspect, letter c), however, has a more limited reference period; that is, it is only investigated for women from 15 to 49 years of age.

Letter a) of question 17 refers to the total number of children born alive to each enumerated woman 15 years of age and older. Not taken into account is whether they are alive or not at the time of the census or the age of death. A child born alive is any child that had shown any sign of life (cry, scream, breathing) after the complete separation from the mother's body. It is not necessary to consider the duration of the pregnancy or the amount of time the child was alive; it is sufficient that the child had survived for an instant after the separation from the mother. It is also not necessary for the umbilical cord (bellybutton cord) to have been cut; it is sufficient for the entire body of the child to have been expelled or extracted from the womb. Therefore, children born without life (dead), abortions, or miscarriages are not counted.

Letter b) of question 17 refers to the total number of children alive at the time of the census; that is, those that are alive at midnight of January 8-9 of 1970. Therefore, those who passed away before and those born after the "census moment" are excluded.

Letter c) of question 17 refers to the children born alive between the January 1 and December 31 of 1969 to all of the enumerated women from 15 to 49 years of age.

It is important that the questions be presented carefully in order to avoid erroneous answers.