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ANALYSIS OF BIRTH INTERVALS IN A NON-CONTRACEPTING INDIAN POPULATION: AN EVOLUTIONARY ECOLOGICAL APPROACH

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 July 2000

DILIP C. NATH ,
DONNA L. LEONETTI  and
MATTHEW S. STEELE
DILIP C. NATH
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology & Center for Studies in Demography and Ecology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195–3100, USA
DONNA L. LEONETTI
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology & Center for Studies in Demography and Ecology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195–3100, USA
MATTHEW S. STEELE
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology & Center for Studies in Demography and Ecology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195–3100, USA
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Abstract

Reproductive strategies are related to ecological constraints. This paper examines data on early birth spacing in a scheduled caste, Bengali-speaking, non-contracepting population of the Karimganj district of southern Assam, India, taking an evolutionary ecological perspective. It is found that on average birth intervals closed by boy–boy are longer than those closed by girl–girl. Birth spacing tends to be longer among upper-income and Craftsman sub-caste mothers. The presence of a ‘grandmother’ in the household shortens spacing. These findings are compatible with an evolutionary-based reproductive decision-making process.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Biosocial Science , Volume 32 , Issue 3 , July 2000 , pp. 343 - 354
Copyright
© 2000 Cambridge University Press

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