Zambia Demographic and Health Survey 2001-2002 - Measure DHS

4.3 BIRTH INTERVALSThe birth interval refers to the period of time between two successive live births. Research hasshown that births born too soon after a previous birth are at an increased risk of dying, particularly whenthe interval between births is less than 36 months.Table 4.7 shows the distribution of births in the five-year period preceding the survey by thenumber of months since the previous birth, according to selected demographic and socio-economicvariables. First births are omitted from the table because there is no prior birth with which to measure aninterval.Table 4.7 Birth intervalsPercent distribution of non-first births in the five years preceding the survey by number of months since preceding birth,according to background characteristics, Zambia 2001-2002–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––MedianNumber number ofMonths since preceding birth of months sinceBackground ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– non-first precedingcharacteristic 7-17 18-23 24-35 36-47 48+ Total births birth–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Age15-19 10.0 19.9 49.9 16.9 3.3 100.0 88 27.120-29 6.8 11.3 47.1 22.1 12.7 100.0 2,703 31.730-39 4.6 8.6 40.7 24.1 22.0 100.0 1,837 34.740-49 5.2 6.8 25.1 24.9 38.0 100.0 497 40.8Birth order2-3 6.3 11.5 44.0 22.4 15.9 100.0 2,247 32.64-6 5.1 9.3 43.5 22.7 19.5 100.0 1,876 33.77+ 6.8 8.3 38.3 24.9 21.8 100.0 1,001 35.0Sex of preceding birthMale 6.4 10.2 41.9 24.1 17.4 100.0 2,629 33.4Female 5.5 9.9 43.5 21.8 19.3 100.0 2,496 33.2Survival ofpreceding birthLiving 2.7 8.6 44.9 24.6 19.1 100.0 4,246 34.2Dead 21.6 16.8 32.1 15.0 14.5 100.0 878 27.6ResidenceUrban 3.7 8.6 39.5 25.0 23.2 100.0 1,474 35.5Rural 6.8 10.6 44.0 22.2 16.4 100.0 3,650 32.5ProvinceCentral 6.5 11.5 47.1 20.6 14.2 100.0 395 31.1Copperbelt 4.5 9.0 41.6 24.4 20.5 100.0 802 34.4Eastern 5.7 9.7 43.0 23.9 17.8 100.0 694 33.8Luapula 8.9 12.8 47.1 18.1 13.0 100.0 503 30.2Lusaka 3.6 7.8 42.9 22.2 23.6 100.0 568 34.8Northern 6.3 11.8 39.1 24.3 18.6 100.0 793 33.8North-Western 5.0 10.3 45.5 23.8 15.4 100.0 289 33.3Southern 6.5 11.8 43.4 22.5 15.8 100.0 583 32.1Western 7.2 5.7 39.2 25.3 22.6 100.0 495 35.3EducationNo education 6.8 10.6 41.1 21.3 20.1 100.0 813 33.2Primary 6.3 9.9 44.8 22.4 16.7 100.0 3,348 32.7Secondary 4.3 10.1 38.0 26.2 21.5 100.0 912 35.1Higher 0.0 11.1 16.3 30.7 41.9 100.0 52 43.0Total 5.9 10.0 42.7 23.0 18.3 100.0 5,125 33.3–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Note: First-order births are excluded. The interval for multiple births is the number of months since the preceding pregnancythat ended in a live birth.64 │ Fertility