Determinants of racial fertility differentials in some urban areas of South Africa

Abstract

Results of a survey of some urban areas in the Pretoria-Witwatersrand-Vereenining region show differential impacts of proximate and socioeconomic factors on the fertility of urban blacks and whites. Timing of starting and ending of childbearing and the reproductive behaviour of women who have never been married account for the major differences in fertility levels. White women confine their childbearing career to the 20-39 age range, while black women utilise the entire 15-49 age range. The fertility level is quite high among black women who have never been married (in contrast to never married white women). With the exception of breast-feeding, racial patterns in other proximate determinants of fertility do not suggest the observed racial differentials in fertility.

PIP: Between September 1991 and February 1992, a pilot survey was conducted among 379 Blacks from randomly selected households in Soweto and Mamelodi; among 270 Whites from Parktown, Westcliff, and Orange Grove; and among a racially-mixed population in Pretoria-Witwatersrand, South Africa. Data from this survey were used to examine the different patterns of fertility in the period five years before the survey and to identify proximate determinants of fertility for all women and ever married women. The dependent variable was relative total fertility, or the number of children a woman aged 15-39 years would have had if the typical patterns was followed. Independent factors were marital status, years of schooling completed, current work status, current contraceptive usage, and size of family desired. Age was considered a covariate. Findings indicate that marital and total fertility was twice as high for Blacks as for Whites. All teenage births were among Blacks and did not involve marriage. The peak childbearing age was 30-34 years for Whites and 25-29 years for Blacks. Childbearing ceased at 40 years for Whites and continued for Blacks into the late 40s. Multiple classification analysis revealed an inverse relationship between marital and work status and fertility and a positive relationship with desired family size. Fertility rose with Black educational attainment, while White middle-level education was associated with higher fertility. Nonmarital fertility was zero for Whites and 2.0 for Blacks. Mean age at first marriage was 21.2 years for Whites and 22.5 years for Blacks. Postpartum amenorrhea and abstinence were longer by 2.5 and 2.8 months, respectively, for Blacks. The abortion rate was 15% regardless of ethnicity. 68.5% used contraception, and use was related to fertility. Fertility and fertility differences are considered a product of inequalities and differences in socioeconomic status.