Infant Mortality in Lesotho: Parental Education and Demographic Factors

Abstract

This study is an examination of effects of parental education and demographic factors on infant mortality in Lesotho, based on the 1977 Lesotho Fertility Survey. The study showed that infant mortality, despite an erratic trend, fell over time. Although the female population of Lesotho was better educated than the male population, paternal education appeared to be more important in infant survival than maternal education. Children born to mothers aged less than 20 and between 30-34 appeared to have lower chances of survival than children born to mothers of other ages. Fourth or higher birth orders faced a higher risk of mortality than the lower birth orders. However, high death rates were not caused by birth order per se, but because mothers gave birth at early ages whereas others started child bearing at relatively older ages. The study also showed that children born less than 24 months after their preceding siblings faced higher risk of mortality than those born after a 24 month interval. Differences in infant mortality by sex were not statistically significant.