In recent centuries the European family has undergone momentous changes, many of which relate to the changing reproductive behaviour. If the old reproductive regime with an unlimited marital fertility rate has persisted, it was in the area of caring for and raising children, which required a substantial amount of work performed by women.
As the number of children in the family has decreased in connection with overall social changes, both the size of the family and the extent of functions the family continues to have has changed.