Fertility profile of a rural community of Kashmir in longitudinal association with maternal age
Dhar, G.M.; Shah, G.N.; Ganai, A.M.; Mattoo, G.M.; Mehnaz
Indian journal of maternal and child health official publication of Indian Maternal and Child Health Association 1(3): 88-91
1990
ISSN/ISBN: 0970-8928 PMID: 12288699 Document Number: 379849
The study was conducted among 264 rural women past menopause who had never used contraception and who attended Hajin Health Block attached to the Community Medicine Department of the SKIMS Srinigar, Kashmir Valley, India. Retrospective reports of pregnancy histories and outcomes were collected. 1405 live births occurred: 654 (46.55%) were male and 751 (53.45%) were female. The sex ratio at birth was 1148 females per 1000 males. 39.29% of births occurred to women 20-25 years old. By the age of 35 years and higher, only 5.90% of births occurred. 1217 children survived: 578 male and 639 female. The survival ratio was 1105 females to 1000 males. Child survival was 92.20% among women under 20 years old and only 57.83% among women 35 years and older. Child survival decreased with increasing age; maternal age and child survival were found to be highly significantly correlated for male children and for both sexes. Average number of children during the entire reproductive period was 5.32 children: 2.48 male and 2.84 females. 84.77% of children were born by the maternal age of 30 years. An average of 4.62 children survived per woman: 2.19 male and 2.43 female. 87.23% of infants born to mothers under 30 years old survived. 1.41 children were born to women by the age of 20 years; 1.30 children survived, which represented 26.50% of the average family size. The gross reproduction rate in this study was 2.84, and the net reproduction rate was 2.43. An increase in marriage age to 20 years would reduce fertility by 26.50%. The most cost effective approach to family planning would concentrate on women 20-25 years old, the most fertile years of the reproductive period. Permanent methods could be introduced among women 25-30 years old, because 85% of family size would have already been achieved.