[A new study of the marital fertility model].]

The author critically examines the Coale-Trussell marital fertility model, asserting that it is not applicable to the situation in which the marital fertility rate decreases rapidly, such as in the case of China. The limitations of the Coale-Trussell model are outlined and a new model is developed, which is applicable to situations of both rapidly decreasing and moderately decreasing marital fertility rates. Empirical results drawn from an analysis of U.N. data for 1965 and 1981 indicate the greater accuracy and flexibility of the new model as compared with the Coale-Trussell model.