Spatial Disparities and Associated Factors with the Number of Children Ever Born among Rural Ethiopian Women

The phrase “children ever born” refers to the total number of children a woman has during her lifetime, which is considered one of the three primary factors influencing a country's population size, composition, and structure. This study aimed to examine the spatial differences in the number of children ever born and related factors among women of reproductive age in rural Ethiopia.

This study utilized data from the 2019 Ethiopian Mini Demographic and Health Surveys, focusing on 5,934 rural women aged 15–49 years. Of the four count regression models considered, the zero-inflated Poisson regression model was identified as the most suitable for the data. Additionally, a spatial analysis was conducted to evaluate spatial dependencies across different zones in Ethiopia.

In Ethiopia, rural women typically have an average of 3.1 children throughout their lives. The distribution of the total number of children born was spatially clustered across different zones of Ethiopia (Moran's I=0.17). Notable hotspot areas were found in Shinile, Fik, Gode, Warder, Guji, Gurage, and West Harerge. Women who had their first child before turning 19 years old showed an IRR of 1.341 (IRR = 1.341), suggesting a higher likelihood of having more children than others. Conversely, women who practiced family planning (IRR = 0.961) compared to those who did not practice were less likely to have more children.

The study findings suggest that factors such as women's educational attainment, their current age, marital status, use of family planning, age at first childbirth, and wealth index significantly influence the total number of children born to rural women in Ethiopia. Empowering rural women through better education and economic participation may result in fewer births per woman. The study also recommends implementing targeted strategies in high-risk areas to address women’s specific reproductive needs.