Marriage Type and Reproductive Decisions: A Comparative Study in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

This study compared the effect of fertility preferences on contraceptive use in Ghana and Kenya. Data were obtained from the 1988 and 1993 Ghana Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and the 1989 and 1993 Kenya DHS among a nationally representative sample of women aged 15-49 years and a sample of men aged 20-54 years. Three hypotheses were examined. Men in polygamous unions were expected to have greater influence in decision-making about contraception particularly in polygamous unions. The author analyzed preferences of men when matched with those of each of their interviewed spouses. Findings from bivariate logistic models indicate that contraceptive use was slightly higher when men wanted no more children. Panel B indicates that male preferences had more influence than female preferences on contraceptive use among polygamous couples only in the 1993 samples. Mens preferences were more influential among monogamous couples in the 2 Kenyan samples. Among couples disagreeing about preferences contraceptive use was more likely when men desired no more children. Multivariate models indicate that male preferences were not more closely associated with contraceptive use except among monogamous couples in the 1993 Kenya sample. The presence of a stronger link between male preference and use in the bivariate analysis suggests that the effect may operate through control variables. The nature of the marriage effect needs further examination. Traditions power and the influence of lineage on decision-making may be key explanatory variables.