Record high fertility in sub-Saharan Africa in a comparative perspective

Michel Garenne, Institut Pasteur

The study documents two cases of extremely high period fertility in sub-Saharan Africa: Kenya (1965-69) and Niger (1982-86). In both cases, total fertility in rural areas reached 9 children per woman, as high as among the Hutterites of North-America (1921-1940). However, the complete family size never exceeded 8.0 children per woman in Kenya (cohorts 1939-1946) and 8.2 children per woman in Niger (cohorts 1960-1967). Compared with the Hutterites, in both African countries the age pattern of fertility was earlier and with a lower mode, age at marriage was earlier, birth intervals were longer because of long breastfeeding, and secondary sterility was higher after the 5th birth. Other proximate determinants of fertility seemed similar in the three populations. Implications for modeling are discussed