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Are self-reported fertility preferences biased? Evidence from indirect elicitation methods
Christine Valente1, Wen Qiang Toh2, Inuwa Jalingo3
1School of Economics, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TU, United Kingdom.
Summary
Self-reported fertility preferences may be biased. Nigerian women reported higher fertility desires when assured of complete confidentiality, suggesting potential underestimation of family planning needs.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Health
- Survey Methodology
- Demography
Background:
- Fertility measures are crucial for research and policy but are often self-reported, introducing potential reporting bias.
- Understanding true fertility preferences is essential for effective family planning interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate reporting bias in fertility preference measures.
- To assess the impact of varying levels of confidentiality on reported fertility desires among Nigerian women.
Main Methods:
- A study was conducted on a socioeconomically diverse sample of Nigerian women.
- Fertility preferences were compared between direct survey questions and indirect questions with randomized confidentiality levels.
Main Results:
- Women reported higher fertility preferences when asked indirectly with complete confidentiality.
- No significant difference in reported fertility was observed when responses were simply blind to the enumerator.
Conclusions:
- Self-reported fertility data may underestimate true fertility preferences due to social desirability bias.
- Existing family planning policies may need re-evaluation due to potential biases in fertility data collection.
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