Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-x4r87 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-27T14:17:30.633Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Determinants of rural and urban fertility differentials in Nigeria

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 July 2008

Orieji Chimere-Dan
Affiliation:
Population Studies Department, London School of Economics and Political Science

Summary

Whatever proximate variables are examined, their differential effects on rural and urban fertility are small. This indicates that no major disturbance has taken place in urban or rural reproductive norms. However, two possible reasons for the converging pattern of rural and urban fertility in Nigeria are identified. One is that urban mothers in the first half of the childbearing age range have higher fertility than their rural counterparts. The other is that breast-feeding and post-partum abstinence, which are the major determinants of marital fertility, exert a more depressing influence on rural than urban fertility.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1990

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Ashurst, H., Balkaran, S. & Casterline, J. (1984) Socioeconomic Determinants Differentials In Recent Fertility. World Fertility Survey Comparative Studies No. 12.International Statistical Institute, Voorburg.Google Scholar
Chimere-Dan, O. (1989) Patterns Of Fertility In Nigeria. PhD thesis, University of London.Google Scholar
Ekanem, I. (1972) Fertility in eastern Nigeria. In: Population Dynamics Research In Africa. Lome, Togo.Google Scholar
Hobcraft, J. (1987) The proximate determinant. In: World Fertility Survey. Edited by Cleland, J. & Scott, C.. Clarendon Press, Oxford.Google Scholar
Hobcraft, J. & Little, R. J. A. (1984) Fertility exposure analysis: a new method for assessing the contribution of proximate determinants to fertility differentials. Popul. Stud. 38, 21.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lesthaeghe, R., Ohadike, P., Kocher, J. & Page, H. (1981a) Child spacing and fertility in sub-Saharan Africa: an overview of issues. In: Child Spacing In Tropical Africa. Edited by Page, H. & Lesthaeghe, R.. Academic Press, New York.Google Scholar
Lesthaeghe, R., Page, H. & Adegbola, O. (1981b) Childspacing and fertility in Lagos. In: Child Spacing In Tropical Africa. Edited by Page, H. & Lesthaeghe, R.. Academic Press, New York.Google Scholar
Okore, A. O. (1980) Rural-urban fertility differentials in southern Nigeria: an assessment of some available evidence. Popul. Stud. 34, 171.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Olusanya, P. O. (1969) Rural-urban fertility differentials in western Nigeria. Popul. Stud. 23, 363.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pullum, T. (1987) Analytic methodology. In: World Fertility Survey. Edited by Cleland, J. & Scott, C.. Clarendon Press, Oxford.Google Scholar
Pullum, T., Casterline, J. B. & Shah, I. H. (1987) Adapting fertility exposure analysis to the study of fertility change. Popul. Stud. 41, 381.CrossRefGoogle Scholar