Stalled Total Fertility Rate in Ghana: Does the Proximate Determinants Model Offer Any Answers?

Augustine Jongtey, National Population Council

INTRODUCTION: Fertility is declining slowly and has stalled in some previously high fertility countries. Fertility stalling lasts only a few years but remained around 4 since 1998 in Ghana. DATA AND METHODS: The paper applies the proximate determinants model and uses data from the Ghana Demographic and Health Survey, 1988-2014 to explain stalling fertility. RESULTS: The fertility inhibiting effect of marriage increased between in 1988-2014. Also, the fertility inhibiting effect of contraception is observed. However, postpartum insusceptibility shows a fertility enhancing effect between 1988 and 2014. CONCLUSION: The stall in TFR since 1998 is largely due to the fertility increasing effect of a reduced duration of postpartum infecundability, which has offset the combined inhibiting effects of contraception, induced abortion, and marriage.