Ideation, Perceived Cost of Children and Contraceptive Adoption among Women in Southern Rural Ghana: A Longitudinal Study

Agbessi Amouzou, Johns Hopkins University
Stan Becker, Johns Hopkins University

This paper uses longitudinal data collected from approximately 1300 rural women in six rural communities in southern Ghana to assess the effects of perceived cost of having a/another child, ideation regarding family planning and social interaction on the adoption of a modern contraceptive method, adjusting for socio-economic status. The survey includes eight rounds that spanned 1998 to 2004. The paper uses the unique longitudinal data to predict modern contraceptive adoption over a period of eighteen months from factors collected prior to this period. Random effects logit regressions indicate positive and significant effects of ideation, perceived cost of children, membership in community association and the size of social network for family planning discussion, after adjusting for fertility intentions, socio-economic and demographic factors. Curiously socio-economic factors such as household wealth asset and education do not have significant effects. In rural contexts, ideation and social interactions are more important determinants than socio-economic status.