Abstract
This paper extends work on measures of population proportions sterile to propose a new estimator of an individual woman’s age at sterility and consequently her sterility status at given ages. Accuracy and reliability, examined in a simulation study, appear satisfactory. From World Fertility Survey data for five African countries, the proportions sterile by age estimated by the individual measure and by the population estimator are almost identical. Cameroon and Kenya show substantial variation in prevalence and incidence of sterility across ethnic groups and by number of marriages. Unexpectedly, the evidence suggests that sterility increased from 1960 on in Kenya and remained unchanged in Cameroon.
The text of this article is only available as a PDF.
References
Barrett, J. C. (
1971
). Use of a Fertility Simulation Model to Refine Measurement Techniques
. Demography
, 8
, 481
–90
. 10.2307/2060684Caldwell, J. C., & Caldwell, P. (
1983
). Demographic Evidence for the Incidence and Course of Abnormally Low Fertility in Tropical Africa
. World Health Statistics Quarterly
, 36
, 2
–34
.Ghana Fertility Survey 1979–80: First Report
. (1983
). Accra
: Central Bureau of Statistics
.Kenya Fertility Survey 1977–1978: First Report
. (1980
). Nairobi
: Central Bureau of Statistics
.Lesotho Fertility Survey, 1977: First Report
. (1981
). Maseru
: Ministry of Planning and Statistics
.The Sudan Fertility Survey 1979: Principal Report
. (1982
). Khartoum
: Central Bureau of Statistics
.DeCherney, A., & Berkowitz, G. (
1982
). Female Fecundity and Age
. New England Journal of Medicine
, 307
, 424
–6
. 10.1056/NEJM198202183060712Enquête Nationale sur la Fécondité du Cameroon 1978. Rapport Principal. 1983. Huddersfield, UK: Charlesworth.
Federation CECOS
Schwartz, D., & Mayaux, M.J. (1982
). Female Fecundity as a Function of Age
. New England Journal of Medicine
, 307
, 404
–6
. 10.1056/NEJM198202183060706Frank, O. (
1983
). Infertility in Sub-Saharan Africa
. New York
: The Population Council
.Henin, R. A., Korten, A., & Werner, L.H. (
1982
). Evaluation of Birth Histories: A Case Study of Kenya
. Voorburg, Netherlands
: International Statistical Institute
.Henry, L. (
1965
). French Statistical Work in Natural Fertility
. In M. Sheps, & I.C. Ridley (Eds.), Public Health and Population Change
(pp. 333
–50
). Pittsburgh
: University of Pittsburgh Press
.Kaplan, I., Dobert, M.K., Marvei, B.J., McLaughlin, J.L., & Whitaker, D.P. (
1976
). Area Handbook for Kenya
. Washington, DC
: U. S. Government Printing Office
.Larsen, U., & Menken, J. (
1989
). Measuring Sterility from Incomplete Birth Histories
. Demography
, 26
, 185
–202
. 10.2307/2061519Lesthaeghe, R. 1985. Personal communication.
Mammo, A., & Morgan, S.P. (
1986
). Childlessness in Ethiopia
. Population and Development Review
, 3
, 533
–47
. 10.2307/1973223Menken, J., Trussell, J., & Larsen, U. (
1986
). Age and Infertility
. Science
, 233
, 1389
–94
. 10.1126/science.3755843Mineau, G., & Trussell, J. (
1982
). A Specification of Marital Fertility by Parents’ Age, Age at Marriage, and Marital Duration
. Demography
, 19
, 335
–50
. 10.2307/2060975Murdock, G. P. (
1959
). Africa: Its People and their Cultural History
. New York
: McGraw-Hill
.Murdock, G. P. (
1967
). Ethnographic Atlas
. Pittsburgh
: University of Pittsburgh Press
.Nelson, H.D., Dobert, M., McDonald, G.C., McLaughlin, J., Marvin, B., & Moeller, P.W. (
1974
). Area Handbook for the United Republic of Cameroon
. Washington, DC
: U. S. Government Printing Office
.Retel-Laurentin, A. (
1974
). Sub-Fertility in Black Africa - The Case of the Nzakara in Central African Republic
. In B.K. Adadevoh (Ed.), Subfertility and Infertility in Africa
(pp. 69
–80
). Ibadan
: Caxton Press
.Romaniuk, A. (
1986
). Infertility in Tropical Africa
. In J.C. Caldwell, & C. Okonjo (Eds.), The Population of Tropical Africa
(pp. 214
–24
). London
: Longmans
.Santow, G., & Bioumla, A. (
1984
). An Evaluation of the Cameroon Fertility Survey 1978
. Voorburg, Netherlands
: International Statistical Institute
.Shandal, A. (
1967
). Circumcision and Infibulation of Females
. Sudan Medical Journal
, 5
, 178
–212
.Sherris, J. D., & Fox, G. (
1983
). Infertility and Sexually Transmitted Diseases: A Public Health Challenge
. Population Reports, Series L: Issues in World Health
, 4
, 113
–51
.Tabutin, D. (
1982
). Evolution Régionale de la Fécondité dans l’Ouest du Zaire
. Population
, 37
, 29
–50
. 10.2307/1532485Trussell, J., & Wilson, C. (
1985
). Sterility in a Population with Natural Fertility
. Population Studies
, 39
, 269
–86
. 10.1080/0032472031000141486Vincent, P. (
1950
). La Stérilité Physiologique des Populations
. Population
, 5
, 45
–64
. 10.2307/1523911© Population Association of America 1991
1991
Issue Section:
Estimation