The Association Between Women's Education and Fertility, Moderating Effect of Unemployment in Context of Polygyny in Pakistan

IF 1.6 4区医学 Q1 ANTHROPOLOGY

American Journal of Human Biology Pub Date : 2025-03-05 DOI:10.1002/ajhb.70023

Mukhtiar Hussain Ibupoto, Athar Ali Shah, Anqi Sang

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Abstract

Introduction

Increasing fertility has been the main challenge for Pakistan. It has been characterized as the sixth most populous country in the world, having a total population of 208 million, with a growth rate of 2.4% annually, by census report 2017. This study examines the relationship between women's education, employment status, and fertility outcomes in Pakistan.

Method

Utilizing the Demographic and Health Survey of 2017–2018, the study involves 1796 married women of reproductive age (15–49), belonging to polygynous families. Data are analyzed using multiple analytical techniques, including Chi-Square tests, negative binomial regression, and marginal plots.

Results

The results reveal that higher educational attainment is significantly associated with reduced fertility, with the decline being most pronounced at secondary and higher education levels. However, the interaction between education and employment status demonstrates that education alone is insufficient to lower fertility unless it translates into paid employment. Unemployed women consistently exhibit higher fertility, even among those with higher education, except at the secondary level.

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来源期刊

American Journal of Human Biology 生物-生物学

CiteScore

4.80

自引率

13.80%

发文量

124

审稿时长

4-8 weeks

期刊介绍： The American Journal of Human Biology is the Official Journal of the Human Biology Association. The American Journal of Human Biology is a bimonthly, peer-reviewed, internationally circulated journal that publishes reports of original research, theoretical articles and timely reviews, and brief communications in the interdisciplinary field of human biology. As the official journal of the Human Biology Association, the Journal also publishes abstracts of research presented at its annual scientific meeting and book reviews relevant to the field. The Journal seeks scholarly manuscripts that address all aspects of human biology, health, and disease, particularly those that stress comparative, developmental, ecological, or evolutionary perspectives. The transdisciplinary areas covered in the Journal include, but are not limited to, epidemiology, genetic variation, population biology and demography, physiology, anatomy, nutrition, growth and aging, physical performance, physical activity and fitness, ecology, and evolution, along with their interactions. The Journal publishes basic, applied, and methodologically oriented research from all areas, including measurement, analytical techniques and strategies, and computer applications in human biology. Like many other biologically oriented disciplines, the field of human biology has undergone considerable growth and diversification in recent years, and the expansion of the aims and scope of the Journal is a reflection of this growth and membership diversification. The Journal is committed to prompt review, and priority publication is given to manuscripts with novel or timely findings, and to manuscripts of unusual interest.