ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the determinants of fertility and fertility differentials among Mexican American women in a community in south Texas. Women's economically productive work thus varied both seasonally, annually, and by stages in their lives. The number of children in the family appeared to vary with the economic activities of family members, the source of knowledge about contraception and reproduction, and the character of communication about contraception. The women were interviewed about the economic activities in which they engaged in Frontera, the economic activities in which they engaged when away from Frontera, their husband's work histories, and family-based cooperative work histories. Fertility is high in the Farm strategy and low in the Non-Farm strategy because in the former children constitute net economic gains to their parents and in the latter children constitute net economic losses. The farm strategy is a mixed labor strategy revolving around farm activities.
