Country Comparison

Spain

Religions:

Roman Catholic 94%, other 6%

Population:

46,754,784 (July 2011 est.)

Birth rate:

10.66 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 3.39 deaths/1,000 live births

Physicians density:

3.705 physicians/1,000 population (2009)

Italy

Religions:

Roman Catholic 90% (approximately; about one-third practicing), other 10% (includes mature Protestant and Jewish communities and a growing Muslim immigrant community)

Population:

61,016,804 (July 2011 est.)

Birth rate:

9.18 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 3.38 deaths/1,000 live births

Physicians density:

4.242 physicians/1,000 population (2008)

Mexico

Religions:

Roman Catholic 76.5%, Protestant 6.3% (Pentecostal 1.4%, other 3.8%), Jehovah's Witnesses 1.1%, other 0.3%, unspecified 13.8%, none 3.1% (2000 census)

Population:

113,724,226 (July 2011 est.)

Birth rate:

19.13 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 17.29 deaths/1,000 live births

Physicians density:

2.893 physicians/1,000 population (2004)

Ireland

Religions:

Roman Catholic 87.4%, Church of Ireland 2.9%, other Christian 1.9%, other 2.1%, unspecified 1.5%, none 4.2% (2006 census)

Population:

4,670,976 (July 2011 est.)

country comparison to the world: 120

Birth rate:

16.1 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 3.85 deaths/1,000 live births

Physicians density:

3.187 physicians/1,000 population (2008)

Philippines

Religions:

Catholic 82.9% (Roman Catholic 80.9%, Aglipayan 2%), Muslim 5%, Evangelical 2.8%, Iglesia ni Kristo 2.3%, other Christian 4.5%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.6%, none 0.1% (2000 census)

Population:

101,833,938 (July 2011 est.)

Birth rate:

25.34 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 19.34 deaths/1,000 live births

Physicians density:

1.153 physicians/1,000 population (2004)

I think that there is a pretty obvious correlation between level of healthcare in general and the birthrate.

Relative to the other countries that I analyzed the Philippines had a lower portion of Catholics (82%). If religion were the sole factor in determining birthrate then it should be assumed that the Philippines would have a relatively lower birth rate. This is so because more people would use contraception in a country where Catholicism had less of a presence. Although the Philippines had a relatively lower rate of Catholicism it had the highest birth rate. That helps to show that religion is not the only key component to determining birth rate. The Philippines had the highest birth rate, highest infant mortality rate, and lowest presence of physicians. It seems like healthcare and wealth is a more influential factor in regards to birth rate.