Study on the Impact of Female Education Fertility Behaviour

Abstract

The first chapter includes the brief introduction of the research topic in a nutshell, also consisting of objectives, research questions, operational defmitions and delimitations of the present study. In developing countries, overpopulation is considered to be one of the most basic causes of underdevelopment. Fertility rates in these countries remain very high. One of the keys to reducing fertility level is achieving higher female literacy rates, as improvement in female literacy has a direct effect on reducing fertility. In a Study conducted in Bangladesh, by Ahmed Ali (1991), it has been found that there is a positive relationship between women's education and fertility. Fertility is being determined by the supply of children, the demand for children and the material and non-material costs of fertility regulations. Fertility is one of the major components of population change. Various factors are attributed to the fertility behavior of various communities. According to the United Nations, "Natural fertility is the fertility which exists in the absence of deliberate birth control". According to the same source, controlled fertility is the fertility which involves a deliberate use of birth control. The term birth control is used in a broad sense to include intentional abortions, sterilization. In this connection, it is necessary to differentiate between fertility and fecundity. Fertility refers to the actual reproductive performance applied to an individual or a group. On the other hand, fecundity refers to the capacity of a man, a woman or a couple to participate in reproduction (i.e. the reproduction of a live child). Fertility can be measured through birth rate while Fecundity, however, cannot be measured. A man or a woman who has given birth to a live child is considered fertile. The total number of children born by one couple is known as family size. The sequence of births of children is birth order. This sequence in the case of mothers is known as parity which is decided by the number of children born alive. The biological limits of child birth are known as reproductive span. The physiological limits of child bearing capacity and period are known as theoretical maximum fertility. Abortions and still births are classified as reproductive wastage. Birth control by self-control is known as voluntary abstinence. In the words of demographer Lewis and Thompson, fertility is 1 .generally used to indicate the actual reproductive performance of a woman or groups of women