A random sample of 100 Hispanic women waiting to receive birth control services at a low-cost community health center in East Los Angeles was interviewed to learn more about the fertility behavior, attitudes toward family size, and contraceptive use of barrio Hispanic women. The respondents were: young (averaging 27 years old), poorly educated (averaging 7.43 years of schooling), low socio-economic status ($666 average monthly household income), married (66%), mostly of Mexican origin (80%), and recent immigrants (85% being first generation Hispanics, i.e. born in Latin America). Results indicated the younger the women at the birth of their first child, the more children they had and desired. Those with fewer years of schooling had larger families. The best predictor of a woman's desired family size was her perception of her spouse's desired family size, indicating the powerful influence men appear to have and suggesting that men should be involved more actively by family planning providers. Being born in Latin America was positively associated with larger desired family size. The value placed on children by these Hispanic women and their husbands appeared to be a major factor in their higher fertility rate, a value formed by their culture, yet subject to acculturative influences. (NEC)