Spacing, Stopping, or Postponing? Fertility Desires in a Sub-Saharan Setting

Hayford, Sarah R.; Agadjanian, Victor

doi:10.1007/s13524-018-0754-8

Cited by 25 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 45 publications

(53 reference statements)

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“…Little ambiguity exists about when it is appropriate to limit or to space because decisions to do so are motivated by clearly defined demographic circumstances. The distinction between stopping childbearing and postponing the next birth is fuzzier when the decision has been motivated by factors that are largely unrelated to women's reproductive histories (Hayford and Agadjanian 2019). Women who are avoiding childbearing for nondemographic reasons may not have decided, or even reflected on, whether they want another child later or not at all.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pathways to Low Fertility: 50 Years of Limitation, Curtailment, and Postponement of Childbearing

Timæus

Moultrie

2020

Demography

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This study applies survival analysis to the birth histories from 317 national surveys to model pathways to low fertility in 83 less-developed countries between 1965 and 2014. It presents period measures of parity progression, the length of birth intervals and total fertility that have been standardized fully for age, parity, and interval duration. It also examines parity-specific trends in the proportion of women who want no more children. Outside sub-Saharan Africa, fertility transition was dominated by parityspecific family size limitation. As the transition progressed, women also began to postpone their next birth for lengthy periods in many countries. During the first half of the fertility transition in much of sub-Saharan Africa and in some other countries, however, women stopped childbearing without targeting particular family sizes. Moreover, birth intervals in sub-Saharan Africa have been lengthening since the onset of the transition. Birth control is not restricted to a dichotomy between limitation and spacing. Other reasons for curtailing childbearing and postponing having another birth also shape countries' pathways through fertility transition.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pathways to Low Fertility: 50 Years of Limitation, Curtailment, and Postponement of Childbearing

Timæus

Moultrie

2020

Demography

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“…Indeed, modernization's influence on traditions of lengthy postpartum abstinence have not translated into shorter birth intervals (Benefo 1995; Derose 2002). In West Africa, as well as throughout sub‐Saharan Africa, birth spacing is not generally used to achieve specific family‐size goals, but instead births are postponed until life circumstances improve (Hayford and Agadjanian 2019; Johnson‐Hanks 2007). Nevertheless, these findings do not mean that short birth intervals do not exist.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Untold Story of 50 Years of Adolescent Fertility in West Africa: A Cohort Perspective on the Quantum, Timing, and Spacing of Adolescent Childbearing

Garbett¹,

Perelli‐Harris²,

Neal³

2021

Population & Development Rev

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Although recent studies examine overall fertility trends in West Africa, few using advanced demographic techniques focus on adolescents. This study explores long-term patterns of adolescent childbearing in 12 West African countries using 51 Demographic and Health Surveys covering birth cohorts that span 54 years (1940-1994). We employ classic demographic measures as well as disaggregation by early-(10-14 years old), middle-(15-17), and late adolescence (18-19). Cohort-based estimates of total adolescent births, parity progression ratios, and rapid repeat birth probabilities reveal little change over time. Most women begin childbearing in adolescence, the progression to additional adolescent births remains common, and the incidence of rapid repeat births is high. In recent cohorts, women exit adolescence with an average of between 0.4 (Ghana) to 1.3 (Niger) births. Contrary to common assumptions, it is women commencing motherhood in early-and middle-, not later adolescence, who account for most West African adolescent fertility.

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“…Our interest in investigating the observed fertility gaps of older women who have completed their childbearing cycle within the sub-region is influenced by the observed stalling of Ghana's fertility rate in the recent past, which defies our understanding of the demographic transition theory and the resurgence of research interest in fertility desires, family size intentions and realization among various age groups across the globe in recent years [10][11][12][13][14]. However, the discussions seem to vary between developed and developing countries.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Predictors of underachieved and overachieved fertility among women with completed fertility in Ghana

2021

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Background A woman’s ability to achieve her preferred family size is critical in addressing issues of high fertility in sub-Saharan Africa. The socio-cultural context in sub-Saharan Africa presents some difficulty for the attainment of preferred fertility for many women. Few studies in sub-Saharan Africa have examined the extent to which women are unable to achieve their preferred family sizes. This study, therefore, examines the factors that are associated with the non-attainment of women’s preferred fertility by the end of their reproductive years. Data and methods The study analyzed pooled cross-sectional data with a sub-sample of 1,888 currently married women aged 45–49 years from five rounds of the Ghana Demographic and Health Survey, 1993 to 2014. Test of associations and multinomial logistic regression analysis were used to examine the predictors of underachieved and overachieved fertility relative to achieved fertility. Results The results indicate that 44 per cent of the women recorded overachieved fertility while about 36 per cent underachieved their fertility. Partner wants more, experiencing child loss and married more than once were significantly associated with overachieved fertility. Nonetheless, increased years of a woman’s education and delaying her at first birth were negatively associated with overachieved fertility. On the other hand, underachieved fertility was significantly associated with having a partner with fewer fertility preference, being of the Islamic faith and ever use of modern contraception. Conclusion Partner’s fertility preference, child loss experience, marrying more than once and ever use of modern contraception were important predictors of a woman’s inability to achieve her fertility preference. Policies to regulate men’s fertility behaviour, delaying age at first birth, use of modern contraception, encouraging longer years of education, and reducing infant and child mortality are important strategies to achieve fertility preference in Ghana.

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Spacing, Stopping, or Postponing? Fertility Desires in a Sub-Saharan Setting

Cited by 25 publications

References 45 publications

Pathways to Low Fertility: 50 Years of Limitation, Curtailment, and Postponement of Childbearing

Pathways to Low Fertility: 50 Years of Limitation, Curtailment, and Postponement of Childbearing

The Untold Story of 50 Years of Adolescent Fertility in West Africa: A Cohort Perspective on the Quantum, Timing, and Spacing of Adolescent Childbearing

Predictors of underachieved and overachieved fertility among women with completed fertility in Ghana

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