Zambia Demographic and Health Survey 2001-2002 - Measure DHS

There has been a decline in fertility from 7.2 births per woman at the time of the 1980 census to5.9 births at the time of the 2001-2002 ZDHS. Most of the decline in fertility is due to lower fertility ratesfor women 25 years and older. Until 1992, the peak of the ASFR was in age group 25-29. Results from1996 and 2001-2002 surveys as well as the 2000 Census show that the peak has shifted to the age group20-24. This shift is commonly associated with declines in fertility.Figure 4.4 Trends in Age-Specific Fertility Rates1980 Census, 1992 ZDHS, and 2001-2002 ZDHS340 ASFR320$ $300'280$) '260240) '220) $200'180)160 $ )'140120100$'80)6040)'20$015-19 20-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40-44 45-49Age group$ 1980 ' 1992 ) 2001-2002Table 4.4 shows the trends in the TFR by background characteristics for the 1992, 1996, and2001-2002 ZDHS surveys. Urban areas have shown a sharp decline in fertility over the period covered bythe ZDHS surveys. The urban TFR fell by 1.5 births between the 1992 and 2001-2002 surveys. Incontrast, as Figure 4.5 shows, the rural TFR remained essentially stable over this period.Considering provinces, Copperbelt and Lusaka are the only areas showing a consistent substantialfertility decline over the period. Among other provinces, the trend is consistently downward in Central,Northern, and Southern but the changes particularly between the 1996 and 2001-2002 surveys are modestin comparison to what occurred in Copperbelt and Lusaka. In North-Western, the TFR appears to haveincreased over the period (perhaps as a result of improved reporting of births rather than a genuineincrease), while the pattern in Luapula and Western fluctuated over the period.The TFR of women who have had no education fluctuated over the period, decreasing betweenthe 1992 and 1996 surveys and then rising between the 1996 and 2001-2002 surveys. Among those withprimary education, the TFR has been decreasing slowly. Women who have at least some secondaryeducation, in contrast, experienced a steady decline in fertility, with the TFR for this group dropping byone birth over the period covered by the three surveys.60 │ Fertility