Fertility

About: Fertility is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 29988 publications have been published within this topic receiving 681106 citations.

Delayed child-bearing.

Abstract: Objective: To provide an overview of delayed child-bearing and to describe the implications for women and health care providers . Options: Delayed child-bearing, which has increased greatly in recent decades, is associated with an increased risk of infertility, pregnancy complications, and adverse pregnancy outcome . This guideline provides information that will optimize the counselling and care of Canadian women with respect to their reproductive choices . Outcomes: Maternal age is the most important determinant of fertility, and obstetric and perinatal risks increase with maternal age . Many women are unaware of the success rates or limitations of assisted reproductive technology and of the increased medical risks of delayed child-bearing, including multiple births, preterm delivery, stillbirth, and Caesarean section . This guideline provides a framework to address these issues .

Relationships between contraception and abortion: a review of the evidence.

Abstract: CONTEXT: The relationship between levels of contraceptive use and the incidence of induced abortion continues to provoke heated discussion, with some observers arguing that use of abortion decreases as contraceptive prevalence rises and others claiming that increased use of family planning methods causes abortion incidence to rise. METHODS: Abortion trends are examined in countries with reliable data on abortion and with contraceptive prevalence information from two points in time showing increases in contraceptive use. The role of changes in fertility in mediating the relationship between abortion and contraception is also explored. RESULTS: In seven countries--Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Uzbekistan, Bulgaria, Turkey, Tunisia and Switzerland--abortion incidence declined as prevalence of modern contraceptive use rose. In six others--Cuba, Denmark, Netherlands, the United States, Singapore and the Republic of Korea--levels of abortion and contraceptive use rose simultaneously. In all six of these countries, however, overall levels of fertility were falling during the period studied. After fertility levels stabilized in several of the countries that had shown simultaneous rises in contraception and abortion, contraceptive use continued to increase and abortion rates fell. The most clear-cut example of this trend is the Republic of Korea. CONCLUSIONS: Rising contraceptive use results in reduced abortion incidence in settings where fertility itself is constant. The parallel rise in abortion and contraception in some countries occurred because increased contraceptive use alone was unable to meet the growing need for fertility regulation in situations where fertility was falling rapidly.

The Correspondence Between Fertility Intentions and Behavior in the United States

Abstract: Using data from the 1979 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, we describe the correspondence between intended family size and observed fertility for US men and women in the 1957–64 birth cohorts. Mean fertility intentions calculated from reports given in the mid-20s modestly overstate completed fertility. But discrepancies between stated intent and actual fertility are common—the stated intent at age 24 (for both women and men) is more likely to miss than to match completed fertility. We focus on factors that predict which women and men will have fewer or more children than intended. Consistent with life-course arguments, those unmarried, childless, or (for women) still in school at approximately age 24 were most likely to underachieve their intended parity (i.e., had fewer children than intended at age 24). We discuss how such discrepancies between intentions and behavior may cumulate to produce sizable cross-group fertility differences.

Women's empowerment and choice of contraceptive methods in selected African countries.

Abstract: METHODS: Data came from the latest round of Demographic and Health Surveys conducted between 2006 and 2008 in Namibia, Zambia, Ghana and Uganda. Responses from married or cohabiting women aged 15–49 were analyzed for six dimensions of empowerment and the current use of female-only methods or couple methods. Bivariate and multivariate multinomial regressions were used to identify associations between the empowerment dimensions and method use. RESULTS: Positive associations were found between the overall empowerment score and method use in all countries (relative risk ratios, 1.1–1.3). In multivariate analysis, household economic decision making was associated with the use of either female-only or couple methods (1.1 for all), as was agreement on fertility preferences (1.3–1.6) and the ability to negotiate sexual activity (1.1–1.2). In Namibia, women’s negative attitudes toward domestic violence were correlated with the use of couple methods (1.1). CONCLUSIONS: Intervention programs aimed at increasing contraceptive use may need to involve different approaches, including promoting couples’ discussion of fertility preferences and family planning, improving women’s self-efficacy in negotiating sexual activity and increasing their economic independence.