The Untold Story of 50 Years of Adolescent Fertility in West Africa: A Cohort Perspective on the Quantum, Timing, and Spacing of Adolescent Childbearing

Abstract

Although recent studies examine overall fertility trends in West Africa, few using advanced demographic techniques focus on adolescents. This study explores long-term patterns of adolescent childbearing in 12 West African countries using 51 Demographic and Health Surveys covering birth cohorts that span 54 years (1940-1994). We employ classic demographic measures as well as disaggregation by early-(10-14 years old), middle-(15-17), and late adolescence (18-19). Cohort-based estimates of total adolescent births, parity progression ratios, and rapid repeat birth probabilities reveal little change over time. Most women begin childbearing in adolescence, the progression to additional adolescent births remains common, and the incidence of rapid repeat births is high. In recent cohorts, women exit adolescence with an average of between 0.4 (Ghana) to 1.3 (Niger) births. Contrary to common assumptions, it is women commencing motherhood in early-and middle-, not later adolescence, who account for most West African adolescent fertility.

Unequal Transitions to Adulthood: Widening Disparities in Age at First Union, Sex, and Birth in Many Low‐ and Middle‐Income Countries

“…Similarly, our results complement accounts of the persistence of teenage pregnancies in West Africa (Garbett et al. 2021), adding that, nonetheless, there is evidence that the age at which 75 percent of women have their first birth increased in some countries, driving a divergence in the timing of transition to motherhood in the region.…”

“…The changes in West Africa are complex, as, in line with previous studies (Garbett et al. 2021), some countries have experienced an increase, and others have experienced a decrease in the central age at first birth. Our study shows that such differentiated patterns of change between countries are also visible in regard to the age at which 75 percent of women have their first child, which, together with a more stable 25th percentile, has ultimately led to an increase in IQRs in some countries but a decrease in others.…”

“…2017; Esteve and Florez‐Paredes 2018; Garbett et al. 2021; Garenne 2004; Lima et al. 2018; Pesando et al.…”

Teenage pregnancy and timing of first marriage in Cameroon - What has changed over the last three decades, and what are the implications?

“…Polygyny, a common practice in the region, makes young girls attractive co-wives [19,20]. There are numerous publications on correlates of early marriage and motherhood in Africa and globally, which almost all point to rural, ill-educated girls from poor households being particularly at risk [21][22][23][24][25][26].…”

No One Left Behind: Using Mixed-Methods Research to Identify and Learn from Socially Marginalised Adolescents in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

“…Second, we pay particular attention to the ways that our approach advances ethical research with socially marginalised adolescents-who tend to be less visible in existing studies, whether cross-sectional or longitudinal. These include younger adolescents aged 10-14 years, who (for example) are not included in national demographic and health surveys (Garbett et al 2021), and who are also largely invisible in data to assess progress against Sustainable Development Goal targets (Guglielmi and Jones 2019). It also includes those marginalised on the basis of refugee status, disability status, marital status, parenthood and area of residence (whether in remote rural or conflict-affected contexts).…”