Page 140 - IJPS-11-5

International Journal of

Population Studies

RESEARCH ARTICLE
Determinants of the desire to limit childbearing

among married women in sub-Saharan African
countries

Robert Zulu * , Emmanuel Musonda 1 , Nebechukwu Henry Ugwu 2,3 , and
1
Million Phiri 1,3
1 Department of Demography, Population Sciences, Monitoring and Evaluation, School of Humanities
and Social Sciences, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
2 Institute for Development Studies, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, Enugu, Nigeria
3 Department of Demography and Population Studies, Schools of Social Sciences, University of the
Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa

Abstract
Most sub-Saharan African countries have experienced high total fertility rates, leading
to rapid population growth and policy concerns. This study examined the determinants
of the desire to limit childbearing among married women in four high-fertility sub-
*Corresponding author: Saharan African countries using the most recent demographic and health survey data:
Robert Zulu
(rzulu@cihebzambia.org) Gabon (2019), Mali (2018), Tanzania (2022), and Zambia (2018). The analysis included
married women desiring to limit childbearing, with sample sizes of 3,664 (Gabon), 6,782
Citation: Zulu, R., Musonda, E., (Mali), 6,946 (Tanzania), and 6,674 (Zambia). Multivariate binary logistic regression was
Ugwu, N.H. & Phiri, M. (2025).
Determinants of the desire to limit performed, and the results were reported with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Zambia
childbearing among married women recorded the highest proportion of married women desiring to limit childbearing
in sub-Saharan African countries. (47%), whereas Mali had the lowest (23.9%). Older women (35 – 49 years) were more
International Journal of Population
Studies, 11(5): 134-147. likely to express this desire than younger women (15 – 19 years) in Gabon (adjusted
https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.5584 odds ratio [aOR] = 3.02; CI: 1.60 – 5.70), Mali (aOR = 44.28; CI: 26.19 – 74.89), Tanzania
Received: October 26, 2024 (aOR = 8.85; CI: 5.81 – 13.49), and Zambia (aOR = 6.74; CI: 4.61 – 9.86). Increasing parity
was also a significant predictor. Women with one to two children had lower odds of
1st revised: December 9, 2024
wanting to limit childbearing compared to those with five or more children: (aOR =
2nd revised: March 10, 2025 0.05; CI: 0.03 – 0.08) in Gabon, (aOR = 0.10, CI: 0.06 – 0.15) in Mali, (aOR = 0.03; CI: 0.02
3rd revised: April 2, 2025 – 0.04) in Tanzania, and (aOR = 0.04; CI: 0.03 – 0.06) in Zambia. Across all countries,
the age of a woman, parity, and decision-making were significant determinants of the
Accepted: April 30, 2025
desire to limit childbearing among married women. The study highlights the need to
Published online: May 16, 2025 intensify reproductive health education and family planning services, particularly for
Copyright: © 2025 Author(s). younger women. In addition, empowering marginalized women can help them make
This is an Open-Access article informed reproductive choices, thus increasing their desire to limit childbearing.
distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Attribution
License, permitting distribution, Keywords: Women; Reproductive health; Fertility desire; Family planning; Sub-Saharan Africa
and reproduction in any medium,
provided the original work is
properly cited.
Publisher’s Note: AccScience
Publishing remains neutral with 1. Introduction
regard to jurisdictional claims in
published maps and institutional Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is a part of the world where total fertility has been constantly
affiliations. high for a long time. The region’s population growth rate has been, for a long time,

Volume 11 Issue 5 (2025) 134 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.5584