Understanding marital and premarital fertility in rural South Africa

The age pattern of fertility in a rural area of South Africa under health a nd demographic surveillance (Agincourt subdistrict) was investigated over t he 1992-1997 periods. The total fertility rate (number of children born, on average, to the women of this population) averaged 3.3 over the period, a major drop from earlier estimates in the same area (6.0 in 1970-1974). Age- specific fertility rates showed an atypical bimodal pattern composed of two components of similar magnitude: premarital fertility (ages 12-26) and mar tial fertility (ages 15-49). These two components demonstrate a peak of pre marital fertility (around age 18-20 years) and a peak of marital fertility (around age 28-30 years). Premarital fertility accounted for 21 per cent of all births, and for 47 per cent of births to women aged 12-26 years. Thus, in the Northern Province of South Africa at least, premarital fertility is a significant demographic and social phenomenon that contributed to a deep er understanding of both teenage and adolescent pregnancy. In addition, it extends these two concepts to cover the important social and economic conse quences of pregnancies among those aged 12 to 26 years. The paper discusses a number of qualitative studies that provide insight into the social and c ultural context of marriage, fertility and sexuality in the area. It also c onsiders how this pattern of very high premarital fertility appears to refl ect a lack of contraception before the first birth, especially among adoles cent, a low prevalence of abortion of the family planning policy, which so far has targeted married women and women after their first pregnancy, but h as failed to address the contraceptive needs of young women before the firs t pregnancy, especially adolescents.