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Reproductive efficiency in the developing world

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 February 2020

John Ross Open the ORCID record for John Ross [Opens in a new window]  and
Anrudh K Jain
John Ross*
Affiliation:
Independent Demographic Consultant, New Paltz, NY, USA
Anrudh K Jain
Affiliation:
Independent Researcher, Hastings on Hudson, NY, USA
*
*Corresponding author. Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

This study proposes a measure of reproductive losses starting from conception to age 15 as an assessment of childbearing ‘efficiency’. It is suggested that losses are due to miscarriages, abortions, stillbirths and deaths to age 15. Data were drawn from various sources for seven regions embracing 129 developing countries. Mortality is an important loss in severely disadvantaged regions, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, but the abortion rates are lower there. This is reversed in the more advanced regions, where mortality is low but abortion rates are higher. Total losses numerically depend upon the rates in combination with the numbers of conceptions. The general ‘efficiency’ in moving from conception to a surviving child aged 15 was estimated. The abortion component of wastage has apparently not improved over time, but the mortality component has done so. Abortion rates are found to drive reproductive efficiency downwards; but efficiency is positively correlated with contraceptive use once abortion is controlled for. This implies that as efficiency is improved more couples gain confidence to turn to contraceptive use to avoid unplanned pregnancies and births.

Keywords

BirthsAbortionsChild Mortality
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Biosocial Science , Volume 52 , Issue 5 , September 2020 , pp. 776 - 784
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press

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