Fertility Transition in Benin : New Reproductive Patterns Or Traditional Behaviours?
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Capo-Chichi, Pacome Virgile Aristide (1999) Fertility transition in Benin : new reproductive patterns or traditional behaviours?. PhD thesis, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17037/PUBS.00682287 Downloaded from: http://researchonline.lshtm.ac.uk/682287/ DOI: 10.17037/PUBS.00682287 Usage Guidelines Please refer to usage guidelines at http://researchonline.lshtm.ac.uk/policies.html or alterna- tively contact [email protected]. Available under license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/ Fertility Transition in Benin: New Reproductive Patterns or Traditional Behaviour? PacOmeVirgile Aristide CAPO-CHICHI Thesis Submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Faculty of Science, University of London London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine June 1999 B ( BIEL LONDON UNIIV Abstract This study analysesreproductive changesin Benin, a West African country with high fertility and low prevalenceof use of modem contraceptive methods, using a combination of quantitative and qualitative approaches.Findings indicate that a transition to lower fertility is underway,particularly in the urban areas,as a result of an emerging pattern of birth limitation and continued desirefor the traditional long birth intervals. But only a small change has occurred in the main proximate determinantsof fertility. The data suggest: that changes in childhood mortality in combination with increased women's education, though modest, have probably createda demandfor fertility control among women; that induced abortion among other factors, may be one of the means through which such demand was met, particularly in urban areas; and that the economic crisis of the 1980swas the main catalyst which precipitated the onset of transition. Changesin reproductive preferenceand practice suggesta diffusion process,from the urban and more educated women to the rural and less educated ones. The data also reveal that the low prevalenceof useof modem contraceptionmay be associatedwith poor knowledge, widespreadfear of side effects and complications and poor quality of family planning services. The main policy implication of these results is that an appropriate reproductive health programme is required to addresswomen's needsand reducethe levels of unwantedpregnancies and induced abortion which are likely to be rising rapidly. i Table of contents Abstract ..................................................................... Table of contents ............................................................. List tables Vi of ................................................................. List figures viii of ............................................................... Acknowledgments ix ........................................................... 1. Context 1 and research aim .................................................. 1.1. Introduction 1 ...................................................... 1.2. Backgrounds Benin 3 on .............................................. 1.2.1. Social 3 and economic context ......................................... 1.2.2. Health 6 services and problems ........................................ 1.2.3. Demographic 7 profile ............................................... 1.2.4. Family Planning 9 and population activities ............................... 1.3. Research 11 aims and specific objectives ................................. 1.4. An outline of the thesis ............................................ 12 2. Literature 14 review ....................................................... 2.1. Introduction 14 ..................................................... definition, interpretations 14 2.2. Demographic transition: stagesand .............. 2.2.1. fertility 17 The economic explanation: a theory of transition? ................. 2.2.2. The innovation-diffusion framework 19 .................................. 2.2.3. The determinants' 21 proximate model .................................. 2.3. Lessonslearned: back 22 to squareone? ................................. 2.4. Fertility in Africa: do know? 24 what we ................................. 2.4.1. Demographic in Africa: 25 transition the evidence ......................... 2.4.2. The influence 27 paths of ............................................. 3. Data 30 and methods ....................................................... 3.1. Introduction I 30 ................. .................................... 3.2. Quantitative data 30 sources ........................................... 3.2.1. Background DHS WFS data 30 and comparability of and .................... 3.2.2. Data 31 quality ..................................................... 3.3. Qualitative data 32 sourcesand methods ................................. 3.3.1. The 32 setting ...................................................... Focus 34 3.3.2. group study ................................................ 3.3.3. In-depth interviews 37 ............................................... Data 41 3.4. management................................................. ii 42 3.5. Data reliability and validity ......................................... 3.6. Data 44 analysis .................................................... 3.6.1. Quantitative data 44 analysis .......................................... Qualitative data 44 3.6.2. analysis ........................................... 4. Fertility in Benin: 30-year 46 a perspective ..................................... 4.1. Introduction 46 ..................................................... 4.2. Fertility levels 46 ................................................... 4.2.1. Data 46 quality ..................................................... 4.2.2. Current fertility 48 .................................................. 4.2.3. Lifetime fertility 49 .................................................. 4.2.4. Exploratory birth history data P/F 50 analysis of using ratios ................. 4.3. Differentials differential 57 and trends ................................... 4.4. Age fertility 61 patterns of change ...................................... 4.5. Decomposition fertility by type 62 of changes of residence and education ....... 4.6. Summary findings 64 of .............................................. in Benin 65 5. The nature and determinantsof fertility changes ....................... 5.1. Introduction 65 ..................................................... 5.2. Marriage 65 ........................................................ family formation 68 5.3. Parity progressionratios and the process ................. 5.3.1. for 68 Parity progression older women ................................... 5.3.2. Analysis B60s 69 of ................................................. 5.3.3. Birth interval 76 analysis.............................................. 5.4. Proximate determinants fertility 79 of ................................... in Benin: levels 79 5.4.1. The proximate determinants and trends ................... Bongaarts Benin data 82 5.4.2. Application of the model the ...................... impact between in 1996 89 5.4.3. Differentials in urban and rural areas ............. 5.5. Summary 90 ....................................................... demographicinnovation in Benin 92 6. Contraception and ........................... 6.1. Introduction 92 ..................................................... 6.2. Analytical framework 93 .............................................. 6.2.1. What is family 93 a small size? ........................................ 6.2.2. The 93 concept of pace of reproduction .................................. 6.2.3. Defining demographic 95 a woman's status ............................... 6.3. Data 96 source ...................................................... 6.4. Findings 97 ........................................................ 97 6.4.1. Family size intentions and achievements:a descriptive analysis ............. iii 6.4.2. Demographic innovation: intentions behaviour 101 vs. ...................... 6.4.3. Factors associated with demographic innovation: 103 a multi-variate approach ........................................... 6.4.4. The 107 relationship to contraceptive use ................................. 6.4.5. Other fertility determinants 114 ........................................ 6.4.6. Attitude towards family 115 planning ................................... 6.5. Summary 115 ...................................................... Child in Benin: 117 7. spacing an exploration of traditions and changes................ 7.1. Introduction 117 ................................................... 7.2. Data 117 sources and methods of analysis ............................... 7.3. Results 118 ....................................................... 7.3.1. The fertility in Fon in Benin 118 social construction of society ............... 7.3.2. New 123 reproductive patterns? ....................................... 7.3.3. Child in Benin 126 spacing ........................................... 7.4. Changing in Benin: time 141 reproductive norms a of uncertainty? ........... 8. In their own words: women's experiencesand perceptions in Benin 143 of modem contraception ......................................... 8.1. Introduction 143 .................................................... 8.2. Data 145 sources and methods of analysis ................................ 8.3. Findings 147 ....................................................... 8.3.1. Are birth intervals 147 perceptions of short changing? ...................... 8.3.2.