Fertility timing and fertility intention of women in India: a cohort analysis

This study attempted to examine the timing and intention of fertility among the women in India. To understand the changes in the childbearing behaviour over the period of time a cohort analysis is performed. Fertility timing is captured through initial birth interval among different birth cohort of women. It is also attempted to identify the determinants of intention for a large family. The third round of nationally representative survey ‘District Level Health Survey (DLHS-3)-2007-08’ has been used for the analysis which provides fertility information of women by birth cohort since 1958 till 1993. Results indicate that the timing to have child vary between different birth cohort of women. Women’s intention to have a child after having two children is decreasing over the period. The effect of education and household economic status is still significant predictor of fertility intention, but the magnitude of the effect has changed over the period.