Cohabitation and fertility behaviour in Nigeria

Abstract

Although, the link between cohabitation and fertility is well documented, the influence of cohabitation on reproductive health behaviour of women in Nigeria has not been adequately investigated. The purpose of this study is to determine the association between cohabitation and fertility behaviour of women in Nigeria. Data for the study were drawn from the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey 2013. Information on women aged 15-49 (n = 38,948) formed the basis for the study. The findings show that cohabitation contributes to delayed marriages and high fertility among non-married cohabitants. Early intervention through fertility control measures could reduce high-fertility among the unmarried partners in Nigeria.