Predictors of Fertility Preference among Young Women in Zambia: Evidence from Zambia 2007-2014 DHS Data

Million Phiri, University Of Zambia
Musonda Lemba, University of Zambia
David Mulemena, Student

Study was done to examine the predictors of preferred family size among young women in Zambia. Adolescent childbearing is more common in developing countries, where nearly 10 percent of adolescent girls give birth each year, compared to less than 2 percent in developed countries (PRB 2013). Early childbearing poses serious consequences to the health and development of young girls (UNPD 2010). This study used secondary data from the 1996, 2001, 2007 and 2013-14 DHS to understand adolescent future reproductive behaviour. Findings indicate that adolescents who received family messages had on average preferred a family size of two children less than those who did not receive family planning messages. Adolescents who live in urban areas were 6 times more likely to receive family messages hence their preference for lower family size. The findings suggest need to strengthen programmes for information education communication to target adolescents especially those in rural areas.