Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jkksz Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T18:53:28.022Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

SPOUSAL AGREEMENT ON PREFERRED WAITING TIME TO NEXT BIRTH IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 March 2011

TESFAYI GEBRESELASSIE  and
VINOD MISHRA
TESFAYI GEBRESELASSIE
Affiliation:
ICF Macro, Atlanta, GA, USA
VINOD MISHRA
Affiliation:
International Health and Development Division, ICF Macro, Calverton, MD, USA
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

This study investigates how various social, demographic and economic factors affect spousal agreement on preferred waiting time to next birth. Data for matched cohabiting couples from ten Demographic and Health Surveys in sub-Saharan Africa (Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe), conducted between 2003 and 2006, were analysed to compare reported waiting time to next birth by the husband and the wife. Couples where the reported waiting time to next birth was the same for both partners (difference is 0 months) were defined as having agreement on waiting time to next birth. In sub-Saharan Africa, spousal agreement on waiting time to next birth was found to be associated with wanting the next child sooner. When the spouses disagree on waiting time to next birth, the wives want to wait longer than their husbands in most cases. Additionally, the study found that demographic factors are the primary determinants of spousal agreement on waiting time to next birth, not socioeconomic factors. The strongest predictors of spousal agreement on waiting time to next birth were number of living children, difference between the number of ideal and living children and wife's age. Couples with fewer children, a younger wife and those with a difference of five or more children between ideal and living number of children were more likely to agree on waiting time to next birth. Effects of socioeconomic factors, such as education and wealth status, on spousal agreement on waiting time to next birth were generally weak and inconsistent. The findings highlight some of the challenges in developing programmes to promote spousal communication and birth spacing and underscore the need for programmes to be gender-sensitive.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Biosocial Science , Volume 43 , Issue 4 , July 2011 , pp. 385 - 400
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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

Bankole, A. & Singh, S. (1998) Couples' fertility and contraceptive decision-making in developing countries: hearing the man's voice. International Family Planning Perspectives 24(1), 15–24.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Barbieri, M. & Hertrich, V. (2005) Age difference between spouses and contraceptive practice in sub-Saharan Africa. Population 60(5/6), 617–654.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bhargava, A. (2007) Desired family size, family planning and fertility in Ethiopia. Journal of Biosocial Science 39(3), 376–381.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Becker, S. (1996) Couples and reproductive health: a review of couple studies. Studies in Family Planning 27(6), 291–306.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Beegle, K., Frankenberg, E. & Thomas, D. (2001) Bargaining power within couples and use of prenatal and delivery care in Indonesia. Studies in Family Planning 32(2), 130–146.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Blanc, A. K., Wolff, B., Gage, A. J., Ezeh, A. C., Neema, S. & Ssekamatte-Ssebuliba, J. (1996) Negotiating Reproductive Outcomes in Uganda. Macro International, Calverton, MD, and Institute of Statistics and Applied Economics, Makerere University.Google Scholar
Conde-Agudelo, A. & Belizán, J. M. (2000) Maternal morbidity and mortality associated with interpregnancy interval: cross sectional study. British Medical Journal 321(7271), 1255–1259.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
DaVanzo, J., Peterson, C. E. & Jones, N. (2003) How well do desired fertility measures for wives and husbands predict subsequent fertility? Evidence from Malaysia. Asia-Pacific Population Journal 18(4), 5–24.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
DaVanzo, J., Razzaque, A., Rahman, M., Hale, L., Ahmed, K., Khan, M. A., Mustafa, G. & Gausia, K. (2004) The Effects of Birth Spacing on Infant and Child Mortality, Pregnancy Outcomes & Maternal Morbidity and Mortality in Matlab, Bangladesh. Rand Working Paper, WR-198. Rand, Santa Monica, CA.Google Scholar
Dodoo, Nii-Amoo, F. (1993) A couple analysis of micro level supply/demand factors in fertility regulation. Population Research and Policy Review 12, 93–101.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fapohunda, B. M. & Poukouta, P. V. (1997) Trends and differentials in desired family size in Kenya. African Population Studies 12(1), 1–21.Google Scholar
Greene, M. E. & Biddlecom, A. E. (2000) Absent and problematic men: demographic accounts of male reproductive roles. Population and Development Review 26(1), 81–115.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hogan, D. P., Berhanu, B. & Hailemariam, A. (1999) Household organization, women's autonomy, and contraceptive behaviour in southern Ethiopia. Studies in Family Planning 30(4), 302–314.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Nyblade, L. & Menken, J. (1993) Husband–wife communication: mediating the relationship of polygyny through contraceptive attitudes and use. In Proceedings of the IUSSP General ConferenceMontreal, August 1993, IUSSP, Liege, Vol. 1, pp. 109–120.Google Scholar
Pollak, R. A. & Watkins, S. C. (1993) Cultural and economic approaches to fertility: proper marriage or mésalliance? Population and Development Review 19(3), 467–496.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rafalimanana, H. & Westoff, C. F. (2001) Gap between Preferred and Actual Birth Intervals in Sub-Saharan Africa: Implications for Fertility and Child Health. Macro International, DHS Analytical Studies, Calverton, MD, No. 2. pp. 21.Google Scholar
Rutstein, S. O. (2005) Effects of preceding birth intervals on neonatal, infant and under-five years mortality and nutritional status in developing countries: evidence from the demographic and health surveys. International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics 89, S7–24.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Speizer, I. S. & Yates, A. J. (1998) Polygyny and African couple research. Population Research and Policy Review 17(6), 551–570.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
World Health Organization (2006) Report of a WHO Technical Consultation on Birth Spacing. Geneva, Switzerland.Google Scholar
Wolff, B., Blanc, A. K. & Gage, A. J. (2000) Who decides: women's status and negotiation of sex in Uganda. Culture, Health and Sexuality 3(1), 1–19.Google Scholar