Women’s Growing Desire to Limit Births in Sub-Saharan Africa: Meeting the Challenge

Little is known about women in sub-Saharan Africa who desire to limit their future childbearing. Demographic and Health Survey data from 18 countries are analyzed here to better understand the characteristics of women wishing to limit childbearing. Demand for limiting (26 percent of married women) nearly equals that for spacing (31 percent). The mean “demand crossover age” (the average age at which demand to limit births begins to exceed demand to space) is generally around age 33, but in some countries it is as low as 23 or 24. Large numbers of women have exceeded their desired fertility but do not use family planning, citing fear of side effects and health concerns as barriers. Many African women are not only interested in birth spacing; in fact, demand for limiting nearly equals that for spacing. Birth limiting has a greater impact on fertility rates than birth spacing and is a major factor driving the fertility transition. Meeting the growing needs of African women with an intention to limit is essential as they are a unique audience that has long been overlooked and underserved.