Assessment of the Fertility Pattern of Women in North Western Nigeria

International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI) | Volume VIII, Issue I, January 2021 | ISSN 2321–2705

Assessment of the Fertility Pattern of Women in North Western Nigeria

Gerald I. Onwuka*, Wasiu A. Babayemi, Yusuf Idris, Tolu O. James.

Department of Mathematics (Statistics Unit) Kebbi State University of Science and Technology, Aliero, Nigeria
Corresponding Author*

Abstract:- Fertility behavior is conditioned by both biological and social factors. Knowledge of fertility pattern gives insight into drivers of human fertility. The paper investigated the birth pattern of women in Kebbi State, North Western Nigeria. A total of 2,256 questionnaires were distributed to the women of child bearing age using simple random sampling across five local government areas. The aim of the study was to analyze the pattern of fertility among age group of women of childbearing age and the effects of some exogenous variables on the fertility of women in the state. Poisson regression was applied for the positive count value recorded. The results from the analysis revealed that experience of birth or history of birth, financial reliant, obesity, individual age are highly significant to the study and have direct impact on fertility. Despite our ability to breed continuously, all human populations exhibit variation in reproduction.

Keywords: Birth pattern, Child-bearing age, Exogenous Variables, Poisson Regression.

1.0 INTRODUCTION

A reproductive life of a woman extends from about 15 to 49 years( i.e child bearing age), and few women reproduce below this age group, all women in this age group do not have uniform reproduction. There are some biological, economical and socio-cultural variables which mainly hinders reproduction of women. In some countries there have been efforts to establish registration of births in a simple list of village, local government or even state in an attempt to collect vital statistics (vital registration) by periodic measurement (Bell 1997). The knowledge of the age pattern of fertility of certain country or state has various uses in demography; it is not only improving the fertility but also helps in population projection, project fertility component implementation of policies as well as strengthening the family planning program. The paper shall provide a model on fertility pattern. The model will help in identifying the fertility pattern of the country as proclaimed in some previous literature in the eighteenth century that the size of a nation’s population is always limited by economic resources and possibilities. If a country gets richer, women will get better income possibilities and the cost of raising children will increase. Fertility analysis is important in understanding current, past and future trends of the population size, composition and growth. Information on the fertility levels, pattern and trends experienced by a country is important for socio economic planning, monitoring and evaluation programs. According to Hinde and Mturi (2000), fertility rate is high in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) than any part of the world, mainly due to high economic and social value attach to children. The low economic development is contributing to high infant and child mortality (Cutler et al, 2006)

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