Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-q99xh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T18:04:28.223Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Seasonality of births in south-eastern Nigeria

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 July 2008

G. E. O. Ogum
Affiliation:
Department of Statistics and Department of Economics, University of Nigeria, Nsukka
A. E. Okorafor
Affiliation:
Department of Statistics and Department of Economics, University of Nigeria, Nsukka

Summary

The monthly distribution of births in the south-eastern states of Nigeria shows a seasonal pattern with a peak during the months of April-June, and a trough during November-January. This suggests that a disproportionate number of conceptions or matings occurs during the relatively cool months of July-September. In south-eastern Nigeria, these are months of relative idleness characterized by reduced work on the farms, abundance of fruits, vegetables and palm wine, and an increased tendency to stay indoors due to heavy and frequent rains. These conditions are considered conducive to increased intercourse

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © 1979, Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Chang, K. S. F., Chan, S. T., Low, W. D. & NG, C. K. (1963) Climate and conception rates in Hong Kong. Hum. Biol. 35, 366.Google ScholarPubMed
Conover, W. J. (1971) Practical Nonparametric Statistics. Wiley, New York.Google Scholar
Holzer, J. (1966) Seasonality of Births and Deaths of Six Selected Towns in Ghana, 19561966. Monograph Series, No. 1. Institute of Statistics, University of Ghana, Legon.Google Scholar
Johnson, J. T., Ann, T. B. & Palan, V. T. (1975) Seasonality of births for West Malaysia's two main racial groups. Hum. Biol. 47, 295.Google ScholarPubMed
Kpedekpo, G. M. K. (1970) Studies on Vital Registration Data from The Compulsory Registration Areas of Ghana, 19621967. Vol. 2: An Analysis of Seasonal Variation of Vital Events in Ghana. Technical Publication Series, No. 11. ISSER, University of Ghana, Legon.Google Scholar
Malina, R. M.& Himes, J. (1977) Seasonality of births in a rural Zapotec municipio, 19451970. Hum. Biol. 49, 125.Google Scholar
McDonald, R. L. (1966) Lunar and seasonal variations in obstetric factors. J. Genet. Psychol. 108, 81.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Millar, W. (1934) Human abortion. Hum. Biol. 6, 271.Google Scholar
Mills, C. A. & Senior, F. A. (1930) Does climate affect human conception rate? Archs intern. Med. 14, 921.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pasamanick, B., Dinitz, S. & Knobloch, H. (1960) Socioeconomic and seasonal variations in birth rates. Milbank meml Fund Q. Bull. 38, 248.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Roberts, D. F. (1976) Environment and the fetus. In: Biology of Human Fetal Growth, p. 267. Edited by Roberts, D.F. & Thomson, A.M.. Taylor and Francis, London.Google Scholar
Rosenberg, H. M. (1966) Seasonal Variation of Births, United States 19331963. Public Health Service Publication 1000, Series 21, No. 9. US Department of Health, Education and Welfare, Washington, DC.Google ScholarPubMed
Stoeckel, J. & Choudhury, A. K. M. A. (1972) Seasonal variation in births in rural East Pakistan. J. biosoc. Sci., 4, 107.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Takahashi, E.. (1952) Notes on the Japanese birth statistics. Hum. Biol. 24, 44.Google ScholarPubMed
Zelnick, M.. (1969) Socioeconomic and seasonal variations in births: a replication. Milbank meml Fund Q. Bull. 47, 159.CrossRefGoogle Scholar