New evidence about effects of reproductive variables on child mortality in sub-Saharan Africa.
There is still considerable uncertainty about how reproductive factors affect child mortality. This study, based on Demographic and Health Survey data from 28 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, shows that mortality is highest for firstborn children with very young mothers. Other children with young mothers, or of high birth order, also experience high mortality. Net of maternal age and birth order, a short preceding birth interval is associated with above average mortality. These patterns change, however, if time-invariant unobserved mother-level characteristics of importance for both mortality and fertility are controlled for in a multilevel-multiprocess model. Most importantly, there are smaller advantages associated with longer birth intervals and being older at first birth. The implications of alternative reproductive 'strategies' are discussed, taking into account that if the mother is older at birth, the child will also be born in a later calendar year, when mortality may be lower.
['Kravdal|Øystein|Ø|']
D000293:Adolescent D000328:Adult D017954:Africa South of the Sahara D046688:Child Mortality D002675:Child, Preschool D003906:Developing Countries D005260:Female D006306:Health Surveys D006801:Humans D007223:Infant D008297:Male D009035:Mothers D017584:Reproductive History D012307:Risk Factors D012959:Socioeconomic Factors D055815:Young Adult
child mortality birth order maternal age birth interval fertility multilevel–multiprocess models