Decision making autonomy and fertility behaviour among currently married women in Nigeria.
Reproductive Health
32
Issue: 3
(12 - 2018)
Background: Decision-making autonomy as a component of women’s status is a less studied indicator
of fertility behaviour in Nigeria.
Data and Methods: The study utilizes the 2013 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) data
to determine women’s characteristics associated with decision-making autonomy and examine the
influence of decision-making autonomy on fertility behaviour among currently married women in
Nigeria. Relationships between decision-making autonomy and fertility behaviour were examined using
Poisson and Binary logistic regressions.
Results: Results showed that, about 60% of currently married women were of low autonomy.
Decision-making autonomy was associated with women’s age, age at marriage, level of education,
religion, employment status, type of residence and household wealth status. The result further showed
that women’s decision-making autonomy was significantly associated with lower number of living
children and increased contraceptive use.
Conclusion: The study concludes that women’s decision-making autonomy is an important predictor of
fertility behaviour among currently married women in Nigeria.
Keywords: decision-making autonomy, currently married women, fertility behaviour, Nigeria
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