The contribution of the Proximate determinants to fertility transition in Ghana

ABSTRACT: Ghana is among the few African countries that began to experience fertility decline in the late 1980’s. The fertility decline was drastic between 1988 and 1998 when the TFR dropped from 6.4 to 4.6. The rate of fertility decline however slowed down since then, the TFR having dropped from 4.6 in 1998 to 4.4 in 2003 and then to 4.0 in 2008. The study examines trends in the proximate determinants of fertility (sexual activity, contraception, and postpartum infecundability) in Ghana over a decade (from 1998 to 2008), with a view to finding out their contributions to fertility decline. The findings show that the fertility suppressing effects of sexual activity are more important than the effects of postpartum infecundability and contraception in explaining fertility levels and trends in Ghana.The study further shows that the effect of abortion contributed significantly in the fertility transition. It is recommended that the existing family planning programme should be strengthened and expanded through the provision of family planning clinics to areas with no such facilities