FERTILITY LEVELS, TRENDS, AND DIFFERENTIALS IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA IN THE 1980S AND 1990S

This study presents an assessment of fertility trends in 23 countries of sub-Saharan Africa. It examines trends and differentials in proxima te determinants and fertility preferences. Findings from the Demograph ic and Health Surveys for these countries over a period of 15 years sh ow that desired family size has decreased significantly. Two-thirds of the countries examined show evidence of fertility decline, a particul arly rapid decline in the cases of Kenya and Zimbabwe. Areas with high er education for women anti lower child mortality experienced larger r eductions in fertility and desired family size. Contraceptive use far exceeds other proximate determinants in explaining these changes. The striking regularity in fertility reduction across all ages indicates t hat contraception is practiced mostly for birth spacing and that contr aceptive methods have gained wide acceptance among younger cohorts. Go od prospects are seen for further intensification of fertility decline s in East Africa and urban West Africa. However, low levels of educati on and high child mortality make rapid changes unlikely in rural West Africa.