“Cementing” Marriages through Childbearing in Subsequent Unions: Insights into Fertility Differentials among First-Time Married and Remarried Women in Ghana

Gertrude Elleamoh
Fidelia A. A. Dake , University of Ghana

Fertility in Ghana has declined steadily since 1980, however, a slight increase was observed between 2008 and 2014. While several factors may account for this pattern, research on the contribution of type of union is limited. This study examined the impact of the characteristics and fertility needs of women in different types of union on fertility. Secondary data from 6,289 ever-married women aged 15-49 were analysed using compare means, ANOVA and linear regression analyses. The total sample of ever-married women and first-time married women had three children on average while remarried women had four children on average. Furthermore, remarried women had one more child (ß=1.02, p<0.001) than their first-time married counterparts in the unadjusted model. However, in the fully adjusted model, there were no significant differences in the fertility of first-time married and remarried women. Fertility among remarried women appears to be uniquely different and requires specific policy interventions.

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 Presented in Session 231. The Union Context of Childbearing