The extent of non-marital fertility in South Africa

Nompumelelo B. Nzimande, University of Wisconsin at Madison

Non-marital childbearing has increased among younger women, among women with lower educational attainment, and among subgroups with lower socioeconomic status. South Africa has one of the highest non marital fertility in Africa, and significant differentials by population group and rural/urban residence exist. This study aims to document the extent of non marital fertility in South Africa, to establish differentials by population group, area type and level of education of women, and to explore covariates. This study uses SADHS of 1998, and results show that a quarter of women in their childbearing ages had their first birth prior to marriage. Prevalence of non marital childbearing is highest among women between ages 20-24, women in rural areas and for Africans. Women with no or lower education have a higher prevalence of non marital childbearing, also, women within the highest quartile of SES have the lowest probability of having a non marital birth.