Factors influencing the desire for more children amongst women of reproductive age in Uganda

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to investigate the factors that significantly influence the desire for more children in women of reproductive age in Uganda. The desire for more children is one of the main underlying factors that influence population growth in the country. The study used secondary data from the UDHS 2016. The study adopted age, the total number of children ever born, religion, wealth index, education level and current marital status as the explanatory variables and desire for more children as the independent variable. The data was analyzed at three levels of analysis using STATA 14.0 i.e. univariate, bivariate and multivariable analysis. At the bivariate level of analysis, the Pearson Chi-square was used to determine which explanatory variables statistically significantly influence desire for more children at 95% level of significance and hence be carried on to the multivariable level of analysis. At the multivariable level of analysis, the binary logistic regression was used to determine the relationship between the desire for more children and the explanatory variables. The study found age to be negatively associated with fertility desire. The study also found that the higher one’s wealth is the less likely they are to desire more children. It was also established that the more children a woman has the less likely she is to desire more. Muslim women were also found to be the most likely to desire more children. Those women who have attained a primary or secondary level of education are less likely to desire more children compared to those with no education. Married and or cohabiting women were found to be more likely to desire more children than widowed and or divorced women. Policy interventions should be targeted at 15to30year old's and for those women who are married or living with their partners, the women's partners should not be ignored. Those in poor households should also be focused on. The government should also strengthen and further continue its investments in free education to improve the level of education of women in the country and wealth creation programs to improve the wealth status of the women in the country.