Co-Wives and Co-Siblings: Does the Rank of Wives Matter in Fertility among Women in Ghana?

Abstract

Fertility in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) continues to be among the highest in the world. Studies on fertility in SSA have examined dimensions such as marital versus non-marital fertility and fertility in monogamous versus polygamous unions. Very few studies have examined variations based on wife rank. This study explores fertility variations based on wife rank among women of reproductive age in Ghana. Descriptive statistics and Poisson regression techniques were used in analysing data on 8,136 women (weighted sample) aged 15-49 years who were surveyed in the 2022 Ghana Demographic Health Survey. The findings indicate that fertility varies significantly based on the rank of wives. After controlling for some proximate determinants of fertility and the socio-demographic characteristics of women and their partners, being a second and higher order wife was found to be associated with lower fertility compared to being the only wife in the union. Partners’ characteristics did not significantly predict the fertility of their spouse regardless of the rank of the wives. These findings suggest that fertility is not always higher among women in polygamous unions when the rank of co-wives is considered, as such there is the need for more focused research to aid our understanding of the underlying factors and dynamics in fertility among women in polygamous unions, especially in similar socio-cultural context where polygamy is commonly practiced.