Determinants of fertility in Kuwait
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the determinants of fertility in Kuwait. Two facets of fertility were considered: the determinants of the quantity of children, measured by the total number of children ever born to a couple, and the determinants of the quality of children, measured by the birth weight. Microeconomic theories of fertility argue that social, economic, and demographic variables affect fertility through a set of intermediate variables. A systematic random sample of 4,462 cases was taken from the 1996 birth registration records of the Ministry of Health in Kuwait. The effects of selected socioeconomic and demographic variables on fertility were examined using path analysis. The results indicated that, among the variables considered in the model, age at first marriage was the most important predictor of the total number of children ever born. The analysis revealed that education, mother's working status, religion, place of residence, and nationality influence family size indirectly by affecting age of mother at first marriage. The multiple regression analysis of the determinants of the quality of children revealed that gestational age, birth length, and birth order, are among the most significant predictors of birth weight. Parents' educational levels showed small but statistically significant effects on birth weight. However, pregnancy complications, delivery complications, and prenatal care failed to reveal any significant association with birth weight.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Stahura, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Demographics
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