CONTEXTUAL DETERMINANTS OF CHILDREN EVER BORN AMONG WOMEN OF REPRODUCTIVE AGE IN SELECTED SOUTHWEST STATE IN NIGERIA.

Abstract

Purpose: Sub-Saharan Africa still faces high fertility rate among other sub regions globally. This study examined the contextual determinants of children ever born (CEB) among women of reproductive age in selected Southwest states in Nigeria. Methodology: A total number of one thousand, one hundred and eighty-seven (1,187) women of reproductive ages (15-49) were randomly drawn from Southwest states using multi-stage sampling technique. Questionnaire method was used to collect relevant data from the field. Three levels of data analysis were undertaken to achieve the study objectives. Frequency distribution was used at the univariate level of analysis while linear regression methods were employed at the bivariate and multivariate level of analyses at 0.05 level of significance. Findings: The result shows that education, age at marriage and employment negatively significantly predict children ever born (CEB) while age of respondents is positively significantly related to children ever born (CEB) in Southwest Nigeria. Unique Contribution to Practice and Policy: Government specific policies that will encourage female education and give room for their widespread employment should be implemented to control fertility in the country.