Title: Main and Interaction Effects of Women's Education and Status on Fertility: The Case of Tanzania
Abstract: The analysis is based on individual 1996 TDHS data combined with aggregate data from the 1988 census and the 1991/1992 TDHS. When various sources of spuriousness are taken into account, it is found that giving a woman more education reduces her fertility much less than sugges ted by univariate tabulations of the total fertility rate. Expansion of primary education contributes to only a slightly higher age at first birth, and the effect on higher-order birth rates is not significant. Changes in post-partum insusceptibility outweigh those in fertility desires and use of modern con traception among women not wanting an additional child. Secondary school enrollment influences fertility more markedly, in particular because of a later first birth. Effects of women's status are estimated in models for actual fertility as well as fertility desires, post-partum insusceptibility and contraceptive use, using up to six macro- or micro-level indicators. All significant effects suggest that empowerment of women will tend to push fertility down, net of education. The significant inter actions between women's status and education point in different directions, but a majority of them indicate that education has the most pronounced effect on fertility in the more egalitarian regions and among women with relatively high individual status.
Publication Year: 2001
Publication Date: 2001-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
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Cited By Count: 2
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