In Tanzania, Women's Fertility, Ideal Family Size Both Surpass Six Births

Abstract

Results of the 1991-92 Tanzanian Demographic and Health Survey revealed that 25% of women had never been married. 39% of men had never been married. 75% of women aged over 25 years and 80% of men aged over 30 years were currently married. 36-37% of women aged over 40 years were in a polygynous union; 35% of women in polygynous unions were uneducated. 50% of women were married by the age of 18 years. The median age of first marriage among women in their 20s was 19 years. Rural marriage age was 18.3 years. The median age at first marriage was 16.8 years. Fertility was 4.0 children and 3.3 live children among currently married women. Total fertility among women aged 15-49 years was 6.3 births. Births were lower in Dar es Salaam and other urban areas. 23% of currently married women desired no more children; the desire for no more children increased with the number of children. Desired number of children was 6.4. Women in Zanzibar desired 6.8 children and women on the mainland desired 5.2 to 5.4 children. Family size desired was 7.3 among those with no schooling and 6.3 among women with incomplete primary education. 75% knew of the pill and 55% knew the condom. 71% knew of a source of supply. 86% of men knew a modern method and 80% knew of a source. 26% of women had ever used a contraceptive method: 16% a modern and about 16% a traditional one. 45% of men reported ever use of contraception. 7% of currently married women and 10% of currently married men used modern methods. Current use among those with a primary education was 13-15% compared to only 4% among those without an education. About 30% of currently married women had unmet need for family planning services: 18% for spacing and 12% for limiting births. 26% of currently married nonusing women intended to use contraception. AIDS knowledge was high but misinformation was also evident. Infant mortality was 91/1000 live births and child mortality was 141/1000.