Her, his, and their fertility desires and contraceptive behaviours: A focus on young couples in six countries

Abstract

Most studies examining contraceptive use among women focus on their own fertility desires and family planning attitudes and do not incorporate the desires and attitudes of their partner. Using Demographic and Health Survey data from young couples (wife is aged 15-24) from six countries, we use descriptive and multivariate analyses to examine the association between couple-level fertility desires and current contraceptive use and women's future intention to use contraception. Results demonstrate that young couples want to have children immediately or may want to delay having children for two or more years; very few do not want (more) children. Discordant fertility desires were found in all countries. Compared to couples where both partners want a child soon, young couples that want to delay childbearing or where the husband wants a child, and the wife wants to delay or avoid childbearing are significantly more likely to use contraception. Similar results are found for women's intention to use contraception. When discordant fertility desires are associated with the outcomes, the young wife's fertility desire matters more than her husband's. Among young couples, promoting communication and positive social norms for delaying a first or second birth can lead to positive health outcomes for mothers and babies.

The Effect of Adolescent Pregnancy on Child Mortality in 46 Low- and Middle-Income Countries

“…Interventions focused on expanding contraceptive access and use are key toward shifting social and gender norms at family and community levels, 25 addressing early pregnancy, and subsequently improving child outcomes. 31…”

“…36 Interventions focused on expanding contraceptive access and use are key toward shifting social and gender norms at family and community levels, 31 addressing early pregnancy, and subsequently improving child outcomes. 37 Some age-specific programs could be related to increasing awareness on the importance of interventions, laws, and enforcement, and advocacy and outreach addressing individual and community barriers to delaying first pregnancy, including delaying marriage through establishing and enforcing laws, 38 addressing underlying social and economic drivers and norms, empowering young women to choose if, when, and whom they marry, and enabling young women to continue and attain higher levels of education and to reduce unintended adolescent pregnancies as well as rapid repeat pregnancies.…”

The Effect of Adolescent Pregnancy on Child Mortality in 46 Low- and Middle-Income Countries

“…About 44% of adolescent women in LMICs who want to avoid pregnancy have an unmet need for modern contraception 36. Interventions focused on expanding contraceptive access and use are key towards shifting social and gender norms at family and community levels,31 addressing early pregnancy,and subsequently improving child outcomes 37. Some age-specific programmes could be related to increasing awareness on the importance of interventions, laws and enforcement, and advocacy and outreach addressing individual and community barriers to delaying first pregnancy, including delaying marriage through establishing and enforcing laws,38 addressing underlying social and economic drivers and norms, empowering young women to choose if, when, and whom they marry, and enabling young women to continue and attain higher levels of education and to reduce unintended adolescent pregnancies as well as rapid repeat pregnancies.…”

Validation of the Fertility Norms Scale and Association with Fertility Intention and Contraceptive Use in India

“…To measure fertility intention, the survey asked all women “ Have you decided whether or not to have (more) children? ” ( Speizer and Calhoun 2022 ). Response options included: “Yes, within the next two years,” “Yes, within two or more years,” “Yes, but I am not sure when,” “Don’t know if I want to have (more) children,” and “No I don’t want more children” (reference).…”