Assessment of the Fertility Pattern of Women in North Western Nigeria

Abstract

Fertility behavior is conditioned by both biological and social factors. Knowledge of fertility pattern gives insight into drivers of human fertility. The paper investigated the birth pattern of women in Kebbi State, North Western Nigeria. A total of 2,256 questionnaires were distributed to the women of child bearing age using simple random sampling across five local government areas. The aim of the study was to analyze the pattern of fertility among age group of women of childbearing age and the effects of some exogenous variables on the fertility of women in the state. Poisson regression was applied for the positive count value recorded. The results from the analysis revealed that experience of birth or history of birth, financial reliant, obesity, individual age are highly significant to the study and have direct impact on fertility. Despite our ability to breed continuously, all human populations exhibit variation in reproduction.