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Recent Fertility Trends in Sub-Saharan Africa
Committee on Population; Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education; National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
Fertility rates and population growth influence economic development. The marked declines in fertility seen in some developing nations have been accompanied by slowing population growth, which in turn provided a window of opportunity for rapid economic growth. For many sub-Saharan African nations, this window has not yet opened because fertility rates have not declined as rapidly there as elsewhere.
Fertility rates in many sub-Saharan African countries are high: the total rate for the region is estimated to be 5.1 births per woman, and rates that had begun to decline in many countries in the region have stalled. High rates of fertility in these countries are likely to contribute to continued rapid population growth: the United Nations projects that the region's population will increase by 1.2 billion by 2050, the highest growth among the regions for which there are projections.
In June 2015, the Committee on Population organized a workshop to explore fertility trends and the factors that have influenced them. The workshop committee was asked to explore history and trends related to fertility, proximate determinants and other influences, the status and impact of family planning programs, and prospects for further reducing fertility rates. This study will help donors, researchers, and policy makers better understand the factors that may explain the slow pace of fertility decline in this region, and develop methods to improve family planning in sub-Saharan Africa.
Contents
- The National Academies of SCIENCES • ENGINEERING • MEDICINE
- STEERING COMMITTEE FOR WORKSHOP ON THE DETERMINANTS OF RECENT TRENDS IN FERTILITY IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
- COMMITTEE ON POPULATION 2015
- Acknowledgments
- 1. Introduction
- 2. General Fertility Trends
- 3. Trends in Reproductive Behavior
- 4. The Effects of Contraceptive Practice
- 5. Policy Options and Opportunities
- References
- APPENDIXES
Rapporteur: Alexandra Beatty.
Suggested citation:
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2016). Recent Fertility Trends in Sub-Saharan Africa: Workshop Summary. A. Beatty, Rapporteur. Committee on Population, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
- NLM CatalogRelated NLM Catalog Entries
- Africa's expanding population: old problems, new policies.[Popul Bull. 1989]Africa's expanding population: old problems, new policies.Goliber TJ. Popul Bull. 1989 Nov; 44(3):5-51.
- Initiatives in Africa.[Harvard Int Rev. 1986]Initiatives in Africa.Goliber TJ, Middleberg MI. Harvard Int Rev. 1986 Mar; 8(4):10-3.
- Sub-Saharan Africa: population pressures on development.[Popul Bull. 1985]Sub-Saharan Africa: population pressures on development.Goliber TJ. Popul Bull. 1985 Feb; 40(1):1-46.
- Review Fertility and family planning in southern and central Africa.[Stud Fam Plann. 1992]Review Fertility and family planning in southern and central Africa.Lucas D. Stud Fam Plann. 1992 May-Jun; 23(3):145-58.
- Review The Role of Diffusion Processes in Fertility Change in Developing Countries: Report Of A Workshop[ 1999]Review The Role of Diffusion Processes in Fertility Change in Developing Countries: Report Of A WorkshopNational Research Council (US) Committee on Population, Reed H, Briere R, Casterline J. 1999
- Recent Fertility Trends in Sub-Saharan AfricaRecent Fertility Trends in Sub-Saharan Africa
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