High-Risk Fertility Behavior and Its Impact on Infant and Child Mortality in some Arab Countries

Introduction: It has been shown that there is a relationship between mother’s health and fertility behavior and her birth’s health and survival. A mother is to fall in any of the high-risk fertility groups if she gives birth at age less than 18 years or 35 and above, when she is giving the fourth birth or above or when she is giving a birth after less than 24 months since she gave her previous one.
Study Rationale: Recent data from PAPFAM surveys show that in some Arab countries infant and child mortality rates are still high and that women still tend to marry at younger ages and almost 90% of women went through early marriage tend to have their first child soon after marriage. On the other hand age at first marriage reached 30 years in some other countries implying that women might give births after reaching 35 years or with short intervals in between.
Objectives: This study aims at investigating the high-risk fertility behavior prevalence, differentials and determinants in some Arab countries and its impact on infant and child mortality.
Methodology and Data Sources: The study will apply both descriptive and multivariate analyses using mainly PAPFAM surveys data.