A study on fertility pattern and its proximate determinants among eligible couples in an urban slum area, Hyderabad
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20150911Keywords:
Fertility, Proximate determinants, Eligible couplesAbstract
Background: Fertility is not totally dependent on the biology of the couple, but there are several other factors that affect the fertility of a couple, particularly in India with the varied cultural and religious practices across the country. India was the first country to initiate an organized family planning program and even after 63years of program we have not achieved the desired results. Studies show that women in towns or in urban slums are more likely to marry early and have children. So, this study was planned in an urban slum area, to understand the fertility trend and factors affecting it.
Methods:A community based cross section study was conducted in an urban slum area among eligible couples. House to house visit was done and 174 eligible females were interviewed. Data was analysed using epi-info software.
Results: In the present study it was found that 40.2% (n=70) of females were married before the legal age of marriage i.e. 18years. Teenage pregnancy was found in 38.9% of the females. It was seen that socio-economic condition and female literacy had an impact on the age at marriage, and fertility pattern. Number of children was more for poor and lower middle class family, Muslims and couples living in joint families.
Conclusions:Early marriage and teenage pregnancies are the major problem. Female literacy and employment can give them the power to bargain for issues like marriage and fertility.
Metrics
References
Chaudhary A, Satija M, Singh T, Soni RK, Sharma S, Girdhar S, et al. Trend and patterns of fertility over five years in a rural area of Ludhiana, Punjab. Indian J Prev Soc Med. 2009;40(3&4):168-71.
Mohanan P, Kamath A, Sajjan BS; Fertility Patterns and Family Planning Practices in A Rural Area in Dakshina Kannada; Indian J Community Med. 2003;28(1):15-8.
Kansal A, Chandra R, Kandpal SD, Negi KS. Fertility profile and its correlates in a rural population of Dehradun district. Indian J Community Med. 2007;32(2):152-3.
Chandrashekhar S. Factors affecting age at marriage and age at first birth in India; J Quant Econ. 2010;8(2):81-97.
Fertility, education and development, further evidence from India. Available at: http://www.histecon.magd.cam.ac.uk/docs/female.pdf. Assessed on 8 Nov 2013.
Determinants of birth interval dynamics, Orissa, India. Available at: http://www.infostat.sk/vdc/epc2006/papers/epc2006s60487.pdf. Assessed on 8 Nov 2013
Park K. Demography and Family planning. In Park’s textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 23rd edition. Jabalpur, M.P. India:M/s Banarasidas Bhanot. 2015:487.
National Family Health Survey-3. International Institute for Population Sciences, Mumbai. 2005-06;(1). Assessed on 14 Feb 2014.
Agarwal AK. Social Classification, the need to update in the present scenario. Indian J Community Med. 2008;33(1):50-1.
All India Whole Sale Price Index. Available at: http://www.eaindustry.nic.in/home.asp. Assessed on 17 Dec 2015
The prohibition of child marriage act 2006, Ministry of Law and justice. Available at: http://ncw.nic.in/acts/pcma2006.pdf. Assessed on 23 May 2014.
Mohatatra A, Mishra CP, Gupta MK, Shivalli S, Mohapatra SC. A study on the fertility pattern of recently delivered women in a rural area of Varanasi. Indian J Prev Soc Med. 2011;42(1):82-6.
Chakrabarty M, Cristophie Z. An analysis of the determinant of the fertility behavior in south India at the village level ; Fertility Behaviour in South India. http://www.demographie.net/guilmoto/pdf/ch-11-chakrabarty.pdf. Assessed on 16 March 2014..
Kumar GA, Danabalan M. Determinants of delayed first birth. Indian J Community Med. 2006; 31(4):272-3.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
