Internal migration and unmet need for family planning in Cotonou, Benin Republic
Migration
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Issue: 2
(11 - 2018)
Context/Background: Evidence shows that addressing the unmet need for FP of vulnerable groups
such as rural-to-urban migrants is another alternative to lowering fertility in developing countries. This
study examines how migration affects unmet need in Cotonou.
Data Source and Methods: We employed multinomial logistic regression using 2012 Benin Republic
Demographic and Health Survey data concerning 827 married women aged | 5-49 years and residing in
Cotonou.
Findings: Findings show that recent migrants were less likely to have an unmet need than non-migrants.
Then, earlier migrants and non-migrants had similar odds of unmet need. After adjusting for
socioeconomic variables, the risks of unmet need for spacing and limiting among recent migrants
decreased and increased, respectively, by 7%. Earlier migrants became significantly less likely to have
an unmet need for spacing births than non-migrants.
Conclusion: The odds of unmet need are lower among migrants than non-migrants, but
complementary research on migrants’ fertility in Cotonou is necessary before any conclusion.
Keywords: Migration; unmet need; family planning; Cotonou; Benin Republic
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