The demand for fertility control in sub-Saharan Africa

Recent fertility surveys in Africa reveal that a striking majority of women want more children, even among those who practice modern contraception, and that modern contraceptive prevalence is still low for women most motivated to avert pregnancy. This analysis suggests that whereas there is, as yet, little indication of change in conditions anticipated to shift the underlying demand for children, uncertainties attached to successful childraising due to risks of infertility, failure to thrive, disability, and divorce strongly favor traditional forms of fertility regulation. The two major means of fertility regulation in Africa--avoidance of next pregnancy in reference to the last born child's survival and rearrangement of the timing and tempo of childrearing through fostering--are not equivalent to modern contraception in purpose or practice. Against these general observations, particular demand for fertility control is identified for groups of women who demonstrate interest in nontraditional forms of fertility regulation at specific lifecycle points. A range of focused family planning activities is proposed to address this demand.