Consistency of the determinants of achieving fertility desires in Ghana: insights from 2003, 2008 and 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey data sets
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Date
2021
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Springer Open
Abstract
Sub-Saharan Africa has entered the early stage of the demographic transition with differences
in and between countries. The relation between fertility preference and actual
fertility is at the core of the demographic changes during the demographic transition
in sub-Saharan Africa. At the current pace of the demographic transition, overachieved
fertility (actual fertility being higher than fertility preference) is more prevalent in
sub-Saharan Africa although some women do achieve their fertility preference. Our
aim is to assess the trends and identify factors that consistently influence women with
completed fertility to achieve their fertility desires in Ghana over a 10-year period. We
used secondary data from the 2003, 2008 and 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health
Surveys for the analysis. The sample size was restricted to currently married/living in
union women aged 45–49 years. The results indicate that underachieved fertility has
increased from 25.1% in 2003 to 35.8% in 2014. Similarly, achieved fertility has also
increased from 23.8% in 2003 to 26.0% in 2014. On the contrary, overachieved fertility
has decreased from 51.1% in 2003 to 38.2% in 2014. The most persistent determinants
of achieved fertility relative to overachieved fertility in Ghana during the last three
rounds of the Ghana Demographic and Health Surveys are child survival status, ethnicity
and couple’s fertility preference. The study provides support for programmatic interventions
targeting improving child survival and regulating men’s fertility preference.
Description
Research Article
Keywords
Fertility gap, Underachieved fertility, Overachieved fertility, Achieved, Completed fertility, Achieved fertility