Family Size Preferences Research Articles

Family size preference and associated factors among women using antenatal care services in Kaduna Metropolis, Nigeria

Family size preference and associated factors among women using antenatal care services in Kaduna Metropolis, Nigeria

Spatial distribution and factors associated with high completed fertility among women aged 40–49 years in Ghana: evidence from the 2022 Ghana Demographic Health Survey

BackgroundHigh completed fertility among married and cohabiting women has profound consequences, including straining resources, increasing healthcare challenges, and contributing to educational and gender inequalities. This study examined the factors associated with high completed fertility among married and cohabiting women aged 40–49 years in Ghana.MethodsData for the study was sourced from the 2022 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS). A spatial map was used to present the women's geographic variations in high completed fertility. A mixed-effect multilevel binary logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the factors associated with high completed fertility. The findings were presented as adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI).ResultsThe national proportion of high completed fertility among married and cohabiting women aged 40–49 years in Ghana was 52.0% [48.8, 55.2]. Women who were Ga/Dangme/Ewe by tribe [aOR = 2.32, 95% CI = 1.06, 5.08] had higher odds of high completed fertility than Akans. Women who indicated 6 + as their ideal number of children had a higher [aOR = 5.60, 95% CI = 2.90, 10.82] likelihood of high completed fertility compared to those whose ideal number of children was 0–3. Those who were using contraceptives at the time of the survey had a higher [aOR = 2.31, 95% CI = 1.17, 4.55] likelihood of high completed fertility compared to those who were not using contraceptives. Women with secondary/higher education [aOR = 0.32, 95% CI = 0.17, 0.58] had lower odds of high completed fertility than those without no formal education. Women with females as household heads [aOR = 0.56, 95% CI = 0.33, 0.95] had lower odds of high completed fertility than males. Women in Volta, Western North, Ahafo, and Bono regions had lower odds of high completed fertility compared to those living in the Northeast region, with the lowest odds among those living in the Volta region [aOR = 0.08, 95% CI = 0.02, 0.40].ConclusionHigh completed fertility is prevalent in Ghana, with more than half of married and cohabiting women having at least five or more children. The government and policymakers in Ghana should promote education for women, increase culturally sensitive family planning programs, increase access to family planning resources, address ideal family size preferences, and improve understanding of contraceptive use.

Ideals and realities: Chinese singleton daughters negotiating family size preferences and migrant motherhood in Spain

ABSTRACT Chinese young women’s fertility choices have attracted growing interest in the last years, however, the effects of women’s singleton status and transnational motherhood experience on their fertility behaviours remain understudied. Using 12 qualitative interviews with Chinese migrant mothers in Spain, we firstly examine how women’s family size preferences are constructed by their singleton status associated with changing gender norms and strong normative expectations of future family caregiving obligations; secondly, we explore the challenges faced by participants towards realizing their fertility expectations in transnational spaces from a gendered perspective. We find that although singleton status can contribute to women’s larger ideal family size, their gendered roles as only-daughters and migrant mothers increase care responsibilities, which negatively influence their childbearing decisions. By situating singleton daughters’ experiences within a broader institutional and sociocultural context, our study offers a unique opportunity to examine how changing gender norms, care, and responsibility structure fertility norms of one generation at the micro level.

Microfoundations of the weakening educational gradient in fertility

The disappearance of the social gradient in fertility represents a paradigm shift that has called into question the validity of theories that predicted a decline in fertility with increased access to education and resources. Emerging theories have tried to explain this trend by highlighting a potential change in the fertility preferences of more educated couples. In this paper we add additional elements to this explanation. Using a computational modelling approach, we show that it is still possible to simulate the weakening social gradient in fertility, in the context of steady declines in family size preferences. Our results show that one of the key drivers of the change in the education–fertility relationship can be found in the transition to an increasingly regulated fertility regime. As the share of unplanned births decreases over time, the negative association between education and fertility weakens and the mechanisms that positively connect educational attainment with desired fertility become dominant.

Explaining uncertainty in women's fertility preferences

People's fertility preferences are often considered an important determinant of fertility. What is often neglected in studies of preferred fertility, is the uncertainty that people may have about their preferences. In this study, using data on Dutch women through the Longitudinal Internet studies for the Social Sciences (collected early 2018), we examined women's fertility preferences and asked detailed questions about the certainty of these preferences. We also examined whether women agreed with their partner on preferred family size, and to what extent partner (dis)agreement shaped uncertainty. We show that Dutch women expressed much uncertainty about their fertility preferences, with only one-third feeling strongly about their preferences. Uncertainty strongly increased when women preferred higher numbers of children, whereas already having children reduced it. Women who wanted no children were most certain about their preference. Higher preferred family sizes also led to more disagreement with the partner about these preferences, and greater partner disagreement, in turn, led to more uncertainty. These findings imply that people are more likely to downgrade their fertility preferences than to increase them, as women are more certain about their preferences for lower numbers of children and are more open to family sizes below than above their preferred choice. Partner disagreement is often resolved by not having (more) children, lowering realised fertility. Hence, these findings provide another explanation for why many people have fewer children than desired.

Child Fostering and Family Size Preferences in Uganda.

Mothers who exceed their ideal family size (IFS) may find themselves caring for more children than desired. In the absence of reliable and desirable prenatal controls of family size, mothers may foster-out children to reduce burdens of childrearing, particularly in contexts where fostering is common. Using six rounds of Demographic and Health Surveys collected in Uganda between 1988 and 2016, I explore the relationship between exceeding IFS and child out-fostering, proposing that fostering-out may serve to manage excess fertility and that this relationship may change as actual and desired fertility declines. Models are run separately for mothers and children aged 0-17 to explore mothers' overall out-fostering behavior versus out-fostering strategies for children. Results at the mother level suggest a strong positive relationship between exceeding IFS and out-fostering that remains relatively stable over time, but results at the child level indicate children's age explains the relationship between mothers' exceeding IFS and being fostered-out, demonstrating the nuances of how family size preferences might impact family life in practice. Though mothers report a desire for smaller families over time, childbearing and childrearing behaviors, including high fertility and child out-fostering, remain consistent over the course of Uganda's fertility transition, signifying the central role out-fostering plays in Ugandan families.

Attitudes and Practices Toward Sex-Selective Abortion in an Urban District of Nepal: Findings From a Cross-Sectional Study.

Nepal, a country with deeply ingrained patriarchal values and culture, has limited evidence regarding the practices of sex selection and sex-selective abortion. This study aimed to investigate the attitudes and practices surrounding sex-selective abortion (SSA) and the factors associated with it. A cross-sectional study design was used to collect data from 320 women between the ages of 15 and 49, who had at least one child under the age of 5 and lived in the Bhaktapur district, Nepal. A total of 19.7% of the participants had undergone an abortion, with 39.6% of those being SSAs. Factors like women empowerment and preference for smaller family size are associated with women's favorable attitude toward SSA. In multivariate analysis, women who faced pressure from their families to have a son and those who were aware of Nepal's abortion laws were more likely to abort a female fetus.

Perceived ideal number of children among adolescent girls in sub-Saharan Africa: does exposure to family planning messages matter?

BackgroundEven though evidence shows that fertility transition has begun almost everywhere in sub–Saharan Africa (SSA), the decline has been slower than in other parts of the world. Research shows that there is a positive relationship between fertility levels and fertility preference. Therefore, many countries in the region are implementing family planning education campaigns targeting at influencing reproductive behavior of women. Thus, this study aimed to examine the extent to which exposure to family planning communication influences fertility preferences of adolescent girls in SSA.MethodsThis study used data extracted from the most recent Demographic and Health Survey datasets for 28 countries in SSA. Analyses were conducted on a pooled sample of 87,950 female adolescents’ aged 15–19 years who were captured in respective country’s survey. Multivariable binary logistic regression model was fitted in Stata version 17 software to examine the association between exposure to family planning communication and fertility preference among adolescent girls in SSA.ResultsThe average fertility preference among adolescent girls in SSA was 4.6 children (95% CI: 4.5, 4.7). Findings show that regardless of the country, adolescents who had exposure to family planning messages [aOR = 0.76, 95% CI = 0.72–0.80] were less likely to prefer 4 or more children. On average, fertility preference among adolescents who had exposure to family planning communication was (3.8 children compared to 4.5 children; p < 0.001) among those with no exposure. Furthermore, results show that married adolescents in SSA who had exposure to family planning message had a higher average preferred family size compared to those who were not married (4.8 versus 3.8; p < 0.001).ConclusionExposure to family planning communication has shown the potential to influence adolescents’ fertility preference in sub-Saharan Africa. Adolescents with exposure to family planning messages preferred a small family size. Therefore, there is a need to scale-up family planning education programmes in order to reduce fertility further in SSA.

Ethnic Variation in Fertility Preferences in Sub-Saharan Africa

Research focusing on the role of ethnicity in shaping fertility preferences in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has been largely restricted to small-scale studies within specific groups, regions or countries, which makes it difficult to gain insight into the overall effects of ethnicity on fertility in the region. This study provides a broad comparative analysis of the variation in preferred family size among ethnic groups covering the whole SSA subcontinent. The relationship between ethnicity and family size preferences is analyzed for 500,000 women from 181 ethnic groups in 24 sub-Saharan countries using data from the Demographic and Health Surveys and via multilevel Poisson regression analyses. Fertility preferences vary considerably across ethnic groups. Major factors explaining this are gender-related cultural characteristics and educational level at the group level. Interaction analyses showed that the size and direction of these effects are moderated by the women’s individual characteristics. The findings make clear that someone’s ethnic background should be taken into account when looking at fertility patterns and designing policies aimed at changing fertility patterns in the SSA context.

Influence of Hospitality Careers on Preferred Family Size

The aim of this research was to investigate influence of jobs hospitality industry on employee’s preferred family size. The specific objective was to investigate whether ladies' level of education, ages, and their careers affect influence their decision on the number of children they would have. The descriptive research method was used in the study. The data was collected from 186 respondents who were randomly selected. The study triangulated both qualitative and quantitative methods. The majority 46% of the respondents had 1 to 2 children while 30% had 3 to 4 children with a minority of 8 % having between 4 to 6 children. This finding was significant X2 =88.377, df (4), p&lt;.0001 It was found that women's employment, education, marital status, attitude toward having children, and availability of family planning methods were some of the factors that influenced their family size. There were weak positive correlations (r=0.195) p&lt;0.026) between the hospitality career and the preferred family meaning that the career influenced respondents' attitude towards family size. There was a positive correlation between job flexibility and intention to have a family (r=-.483, p&lt;.003.) There were weak inverse correlations between the financial cost of bringing up children and the number of children a family would like to have (r=-227, p&lt;.012).

Naming the Precious Child: New Evidence of Intentional Family Planning in Historical Populations

Can the names parents gave their children give us insights into how parents in historical times planned their families? In this study, we explore whether the names given to the firstborn child can be used as indicators of family-size preferences and, if so, what this reveals about the emergence of intentional family planning over the course of the demographic transition. We analyze historical populations from 1850 to 1940 in the United States, where early fertility control and large sample sizes allow separate analyses of the White and Black populations. We also analyze Norway from 1800 to 1910, where there was a much later fertility transition. A split-sample method allows automated scoring of each name in terms of predicted family size. We find a strong relationship between naming and family size in the U.S. White population as early as 1850, for the Black population beginning in 1940, and for the Norwegian population in 1910. These results provide new evidence of the emergence of “conscious calculation” during the fertility transition. Our methods may also be applicable to modern high-fertility populations in the midst of fertility decline.

Male partner influence on Women's choices and utilisation of family planning services in Mufulira district, Zambia

BackgroundFamily planning services are essential in reducing maternal deaths as well as improving the reproductive and sexual health of women. Although family planning services are frequently focused on women, men are often the primary decision-makers. We conducted a study to explore male partner influence on women's choices and utilisation of family planning services in Mufulira district, Zambia. MethodsA qualitative explorative study design that utilised two focus group discussions (n = 20) and in-depth interviews (n = 30) involving women of reproductive age was conducted. Convenient sampling was employed to select participants. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions were recorded, translated, and transcribed verbatim. Content analysis was utilised through code classification and theme identification. Data were imported into NVivo.×64 for coding and node generation. FindingsThe study revealed key themes on male partner influence on contraception use such as fear of infidelity, fear of physical abuse, preference for a large family size , disruption of sexual pleasure, and perceived side effects of contraceptives. These themes highlight the influence of culturally driven gender and power dynamics on male partner attitudes towards contraception. Participants described how their male partners exhibited prenatal attitudes and control over them thereby limiting their decision-making power on contraception use. Undesirable contraception side effects such as reduced vaginal lubrication contributed to sexual pleasure disruption among men. Concerns that women's use of contraception can lead to infidelity also contributed to male partner disapproval of contraception use. ConclusionsUnderstanding barriers to contraception utilisation presented by male partners is essential in preventing contraception discontinuation and can increase contraception uptake among women. Our findings highlight the influence of culturally driven gender and power dynamics on male partner attitudes towards contraception. Therefore, male partner education on family planning services is key. Also, men need to be incorporated as key stakeholders when planning and implementing family planning programmes.

Unveiling the mystery: Does the traffic control policy in Beijing trigger a rebound effect in household electric vehicles?

Despite the strong support for electric vehicles (EVs) from the Chinese government, their environmental benefits are not well known, especially as they could be offset by potential rebound effects. This paper examines whether EVs could trigger rebound effects under special traffic control policies in Beijing and identifie potential driving factors of rebound effects at the residential level. The data was collected through a survey of 368 Beijing residents who own private vehicles. It was found that EVs have not caused a significant rebound effect at present. However, the potential rebound risk of promoting EVs cannot be ignored. On the one hand, EVs may increase travel demand among certain groups, especially for the single-EV household, whereas the considerable increase in travel mileage may cause higher energy consumption. On the other hand, purchasing additional EVs as a fallback option would result in resource waste. The scenario analysis found that if an EV is used to replace an internal combustion engine vehicle (ICEV), the rebound effect will highly likely occur (72.17 % ± 62.01 %) and the original energy-saving goal cannot be achieved; while if households with an ICEV are allowed to buy an additional EV, there is a risk of a rebound or even backfire effect (the rebound effect is 6.64 % ± 24.43 %). The driving factors of rebound effects included family size, commuting distance, and individual preference for pro-environmental elements. In particular, environmental awareness could easily lead to a counterproductive result, resulting in rebound effects.

Exploring the multilevel factors influencing women’s choices and utilisation of family planning services in Mufulira district, Zambia: A socio-ecological perspective

:Family planning services are useful in helping couples and individuals realize their basic right to decide freely and responsibly if, when, and how many children to have. The study aimed at exploring the multilevel factors influencing women’s choices and utilisation of family planning services in Mufulira district of Zambia. A qualitative explorative study design that utilised two focus group discussions (n = 20) and in-depth interviews (n = 30) involving women of reproductive age was conducted in Mufulira district, Zambia. Convenient sampling was employed to select participants. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions were recorded, translated, and transcribed verbatim. Content analysis was utilised through code classification and theme identification. Data were imported into NVivo.x64 for coding and node generation. The study revealed overarching themes at the individual level such as distrust of hormonal contraception, misconceptions about the side effects of contraception, perceived side effects of contraceptives, perceived risk of infertility, and lack of adequate information on contraception. At the interpersonal level, themes were mainly centred on male partner influence such as male partner preference for a large family size, fear of partner infidelity, disruption of sexual pleasure, fear of intimate partner violence, and male partner disapproval of contraception use. At the institutional/organisation level, themes such as health providers’ negative attitudes, non-availability of preferred contraception, and lack of guidance and support from health workers were highlighted, and at the community level, we developed themes on the limited autonomy of women in making decisions and social expectations. Women’s choices and utilisation of family planning services are influenced by an interplay of multiple social-level factors. Interventions that address these influencing factors are needed to enhance the uptake of family planning services among women.

Determinants of Family Size Preferences in Pakistan

"The paper attempts to investigate and identify some of the most important predictors of family size-preferences in Pakistan. Based on cross-sectional data relating to 9,416 currently married women, the results of this study suggest that having one or more sons in the family is the principal predictor of the desired family size. Yet another important predictor is the education of the wife which plays a critical role in the family size determination. The study shows that the preferences for family size do not vary greatly between urban and rural areas."

Family size preferences among women in a union in Nigeria and associated factors

Nigeria’s population is currently estimated at 216million and the country will be the third most populous in the world in 2050. A major driver of the high population growth is persistent high fertility. This study examined women’s fertility preferences, which was measured with ideal family size (IFS) and the associated factors. Data were obtained from the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey. The analysis consisted of a weighted sample of 13, 673 women in union, aged 15–49 years whose first marriage took place within 10 years before the survey. Descriptive and multinomial logistic regression analyses were conducted. The proportion of respondents whose IFS was 5+ was 65%. Slightly above one-quarter had IFS of four children, and 11% had IFS of 0 – 3. IFS of 5+ was significantly associated with women resident in the Northern and Southeast regions, rural residents, Muslims, women who had no education, women working in agriculture, sales/service jobs, those who participated in one or two out of four household decisions, justified wife beating, have 5+ siblings, experienced child death, and married before age 20. Efforts to achieve the target reduction in total fertility rate in Nigeria should be multi-sectoral targeting these subpopulations of women.

Women's contraceptive profiles in Burundi: Knowledge, attitudes, and interactions with media and health services.

Reproductive health program managers seek information about existing and potential clients’ motivations, behaviors, and barriers to services. Using sequence and cluster analysis of contraceptive calendar data from the 2016–17 Burundi Demographic and Health Survey, we identified discrete clusters characterizing patterns in women’s contraceptive and pregnancy behaviors over the previous 5 years. This study pairs these clusters with data on factors typically targeted in social behavior change interventions: knowledge, attitudes, and women’s interactions with media and health services, to create composite profiles of women in these clusters. Of six clusters, three are characterized by contraceptive use and three are characterized by its absence. Media exposure and attitudes regarding sex preference, wife beating, and self-efficacy largely do not explain cluster membership. Contraceptive knowledge is positively associated with two clusters (Family Builder 1 and Traditional Mother) and negatively associated with a third (Quiet Calendar). Clusters also differ in their members’ fertility desires, contraceptive intentions, and interactions with health services. Two “Family Builder” clusters are both characterized by the presence (but not timing) of multiple pregnancies in their calendar histories, but differ in that women with high contraceptive knowledge, intentions to use contraception, and well-articulated family size ideals are characteristic of one cluster (Family Builder 1), and low contraceptive knowledge, no use of contraception, and vague family size preferences are characteristic of the other (Family Builder 2). These results can guide reproductive health programs as they target social and behavioral change and other interventions to the unique subpopulations they seek to serve.

Cultural and Social Bias Leading to Prenatal Sex Selection: India Perspective.

Globally, 23.1 million missing female births have been documented, resulting in an imbalanced sex ratio at birth (SRB) between the late 1990s and 2017, with India accounting for almost half of this missing women population. While the country is progressively taking measures to enhance women's position in society and implementing policies toward augmenting the value of a girl child, some deeply rooted cultural and social beliefs propel a strong son preference, resulting in active daughter discrimination. The continuance of patriarchal norms and inequitable gender roles, resulting in son preference, fertility decrease, and reduction in preferred family sizes, and technical breakthroughs that allow for the identification of the sex of the fetus, is all connected to distortions in the sex ratio at birth. Son preference is a well-documented phenomenon in India, and its implications for skewed gender ratios, female feticide, and higher child mortality rates for girls have piqued researchers' and policymakers' interest. The fundamental factors of son preference as an ideology are less widely investigated. With this objective, an extensive secondary review was conducted of the socio-cultural norms and biases leading to increased prenatal sex selection in India despite the laws against it. The study findings suggest that it is imperative to emphasize the necessity for consistent and collective efforts from all stakeholders: changing the social perception of the value of girls requires collective effort and the equal participation of all stakeholders, including civil society organizations and the local community.

Quantifying the sources of heterogeneity of fertility preferences in China

There are no unanimous estimates on fertility preferences in China; they vary considerably across studies. Understanding this cross-study heterogeneity of reported preferred family size will contribute to the debates on the uncertainty of fertility in China. This paper quantified how much heterogeneity in aggregate-level fertility preferences can be explained by taking into account the demographic characteristics of the sample, its geographical location, and the measurement of fertility preferences. We retrieved 124 estimates of average preferred family size from 94 publications (from the year 2001 and onwards) in the China National Knowledge Infrastructure database (CNKI) and used mixed-effect meta-regression model to investigate heterogeneity. We found that the average preferred number of children in China since 2001 ranged from 0.91 to 2.88, with an average of 1.70 (SD = 0.26). Demographic differences accounted for 23%, human geographic regionalization for 21%, and the measurement of fertility preferences for 13% of the between-study variation. Sample characteristics (demographic and regional differences) and the measurement of fertility preferences together accounted for 46% of the variation in average preferred fertility. The averaged preferred family size varies by different characteristics and measurement. This study also points out whether particular groups have higher or lower preferences. It helps researchers to put estimates from fertility preferences from single studies in perspective. Moreover, this study can help resolve why researchers have such different outlooks on the future fertility of China.

Predictors of Family Size Among Men in Urban Slums of Enugu, Southeast Nigeria: A Cross Sectional Study

A rapidly increasing population is a threat to national development, family stability and social security. This study aimed at assessing family size preferences and its predictors among married men in urban slums in Enugu, Nigeria. A descriptive cross-sectional study that involved household survey of 381 married men living in urban slums of Enugu, Nigeria was carried out. Data was collected using pre-tested, interviewer-administered questionnaires. Data aanalysis was done with IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The average actual family size was 6 people, with an average of 4 children. 62.5% had their children mixed, 27% had all males, while 10.5% had all girls. However, over 50% of respondents desired to have a family size of 8 or more, with 52.8% of them preferring to have at least 3 sons and 3 daughters. The predictors of family size were: age of respondent (AOR 2.951; CI=1.343-3.314), sex distribution (AOR 2.905; CI= 1.960-4.306), number of twins (AOR 4.720 CI= 1.821-12.231), desired number of children (AOR 7.566; CI=2.334-24.522), desire to continue childbirth (AOR 0.202; CI=0.084-0.482) and desire to have more children if income is increased (AOR 0.403; CI= 0.176-0.919). Actual and desired family size, as well as male sex preference, were high among married men in Enugu urban slums. Family size was predicted by the age of respondent, sex distribution, number of twins, the desired number of children and desire to have more children. Health education programs on population control should target urban slum dwellers to enhance human and economic development.