Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t8hqh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-26T16:46:13.707Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Determinants of racial fertility differentials in some urban areas of South Africa

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 July 2008

Orieji Chimere-Dan
Orieji Chimere-Dan
Affiliation:
Department of Sociology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Results of a survey of some urban areas in the Pretoria–Witwatersrand–Vereenining region show differential impacts of proximate and socioeconomic factors on the fertility of urban blacks and whites. Timing of starting and ending of childbearing and the reproductive behaviour of women who have never been married account for the major differences in fertility levels. White women confine their childbearing career to the 20–39 age range, while black women utilise the entire 15–49 age range. The fertility level is quite high among black women who have never been married (in contrast to never married white women). With the exception of breast-feeding, racial patterns in other proximate determinants of fertility do not suggest the observed racial differentials in fertility.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Biosocial Science , Volume 26 , Issue 1 , January 1994 , pp. 55 - 63
Copyright
Copyright © 1994, Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Ashurst, H.Balkaran, S. & Casterline, J. B. (1984). Socio-economic Differentials in Recent Fertility. Comparative Studies 42, World Fertility Survey, London.Google Scholar
Cleland, J. & Rodriguez, G. (1988) The effects of parental education on arital fertility in developing countries. Popul. Stud. 42, 419.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Craig, A. P. & Richter-Strydom, L. M. (1983) Unplanned egnancies among urban school girls. S. Afr. med. J. 63, 452.Google Scholar
Gouws, N. (1988) The 1987 document the population development programme. Southern Afr. J. Demog. 2, 42.Google ScholarPubMed
Mostert, W. P. & Hofmeyr, B. E. (1988) Socio-economic factors affecting fertility in developing countries and of the developing population groups in South Africa. Southern Afr. J. Demog. 2, 1.Google Scholar
Mostert, W. P. & Van Tonde, J. M. (1986) Die Voorgestelde Suit-Afrikaanes Bevolkingsprogram van die Presidentsraad: Insette ter Bereiking van Fertiliteitsdoelwitte. Human Sciences Research Council. Pretoria.Google Scholar
Nash, E. S. (1990) Teenage-need a child bear a child. S. Afr. med. J. 77, 147.Google ScholarPubMed
Preston-Whyte, E. M. (1990) Qualitative perspective on fertility trends among African teenagers. In: South Africa's Demographic Future. Chap. 8. Edited by Mostert, W. P. & Lotter, J. M.. Human Sciences Research Council, Pretoria.Google Scholar
United Nations (1989) Fertility and Behaviour in the Context of Development: Evidence from the World Fertility Survey. UN, New York.Google Scholar