Fertility dynamics and contraceptive use in Malawi

In Malawi, a woman’s average fertility has declined by only one birth, from 6.7 to 5.7 children per woman in the last three decades. This study examines trends in the proximate determinants of fertility in Malawi with the view to explain their relative contribution to overall fertility level using 2000, 2004 and 2010 MDHS. First, we reconstruct age period specific fertility rates that enable us to examine past fertility trends across different age cohorts for population and consistency check. Next, for each survey, the inhibiting influence of each proximate determinant on fertility is explored in detail using proximate determinants model of fertility developed by Bongaarts and Potter (1983). The apparent decline is confined to the middle age group, an indication that fertility control primarily is as result of spacing rather than limiting births. While contraceptive use has risen tremendously, the effect of the index of contraception in reducing fertility is less pronounced due to predominance use of one method, injectables. This suggests that couples in Malawi have fewer options to control their fertility. By decomposing fertility, the level of education contributed to two fifth of fertility decline. However, the composition of women with secondary education is not sufficient enough to favour fast fertility decline.