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Catholic culture is characterized by restrictions on freedom of expression and by an ample freedom of action. Conversely, Protestant culture is characterized by an ample freedom of expression but by restrictions on freedom of action. In a post below, I concurred with Joaquim that Estado Novo was essentially a Catholic regime ("too little talk, too much action"), whereas the present Estado Democrático is essentially a Protestant regime ("too much talk, too little action").

I would like to apply this conclusions to sex. People who are now over fifty and were raised under Estado Novo did not talk too much about sex because they were not allowed to. But they had a lot of freedom to act sexually, to the point that up to the sixties even prostitution was legal in the country.

By contrast, the younger generation who is now less than fourty was raised under the Protestantly inspired, democratic regime arising from the 1974 Revolution. These people can talk freely about sex, what they are not as free is to do the real thing.

This is to say that I do not believe current explanations for the drastic fall in birth rates in the country in recent decades, which emphasize economic factors, emancipation of women and the widespread use of birth-control techniques. The true, ultimate reason is that the younger generation is fucking less than that of their parents.