Gender, Power, and Reproduction: Rural‐Urban Differences in the Relationship Between Fertility Goals and Contraceptive Use in Kenya*

Abstract

Rural‐urban variances in fertility‐related phenomena traditionally are explained by differences in access to contraception and by spatial variations in reproductive goals. As a corollary, changes in existing supply‐ and demand‐side inequities should enable rural women to attain their reproductive goals to the same extent as their urban counterparts. We find, however, that reproductive decisions in rural areas reflect entrenched male dominance, such that the gender inequality in decision making must be redressed if rural women are to realize their fertility goals as fully as urban women.

Demand and Unmet Need for Means of Family Limitation in Rwanda

“…[19][20][21][22][23] Fertility behavior is also a function of the characteristics of the woman's partner and the socioeconomic status of the household. 24-26 These factors can strengthen or weaken the impact of variables on individual women.…”

Patterns of fertility preferences and contraceptive behaviour over time: change and continuities among the urban poor in Nairobi, Kenya

“…The Kikuyu are known to have higher access to education and for their larger involvement in incomegenerating activities. Kikuyus are also known to be less pronatalist than their counterparts from Luo and Luhya ethnic groups, which are also found to be among the poorest and least empowered in Kenya (Dodoo and Tempenis 2002;Place, Adato, and Hebinck 2007). Higher levels of contraceptive use among Kikuyu women may therefore be due to their higher empowerment and socio-economic status (Beguy et al 2011;Izugbara, Ochako, and Izugbara 2011;Watkins 2000).…”

Latent Class Analysis of Reproductive Decision Making in Zambia

“…The impact of the fertility norms on variations in reproductive strategies is dependent upon women's own fertility values. Traditional values that prohibit fertility control along with belief that fertility control is unnatural encourage women to accept as many and all children ever born (Dodoo and Tempenis, 2002;Dodoo, 1998). Women with traditional values are not likely to be influenced by modern societal pressures to control fertility (Dodoo and Tempenis, 2002;Dodoo, 1998).…”

“…How couples make fertility decisions has implications for the shaping of women's and men's reproductive trajectories (Dodoo and Tempenis, 2002;Lasee and Becker, 1997;Omondi-Odhiambo, 1997). Assuming that couples engage in reproductive decision making, choosing from realistic reproductive choices available call for collaborative efforts with respect to decision processes.…”