Unintended fertility in Latin American adolescents: an analysis by socioeconomic groups

the Monday 19 March 2018 at l’Ined, salle Sauvy de 11h30 à 12h30

Présenté par : Suzana Cavenaghi (Escola Nacional de Ciências Estatísticas/ Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística) ; Discutante : Virginie Rozée (Ined)

Having a child during adolescence involves disadvantages and is deleterious in modern societies for many reasons. Most of the drawbacks are linked to the socio-cultural definition of adolescence in modern societies, a period when adolescents are supposedly building their personalities, completing secondary education as well as starting tertiary or technical education, acquiring working experience, creating social networks and friendships and accumulating knowledge and life experiences. Therefore, development at this age has little or no compatibility with responsibilities involved in raising children. However, these disadvantages may vary among socioeconomic groups. In particular, lower income groups may be less affected, because most of these disadvantages are barriers to “normal” or “expected” educational and career paths that could be unfeasible or improbable for girls from lower income groups. Even more, in these disadvantaged groups, being a mother during adolescence could even be wanted. By utilizing DHS data, this paper intends to answer the question if there is a higher wanted adolescent fertility among poor teenagers in Latin America. The results show that in many countries this is not the case, indeed, in all countries analyzed, socioeconomic inequality for an indicator of not planned birth during adolescence is smaller than for adolescent fertility.

Suzana Cavenaghi

PhD and master’s degree in Demography/Sociology from the University of Texas at Austin, specialization in Demography at CELADE, graduation in Statistics and Applied Mathematics from the State University of Campinas. Current position as researcher and professor at National School of Statistical Science (ENCE) at the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) where have advised more than 33 thesis and dissertations. Coordinator of the post-graduation program of ENCE from 2011-2016, where have implemented the doctorate program. Editor of the Brazilian Journal of Population Studies (REBEP) from 2013-2016. Among the main areas of interest are reproductive health, fertility, family studies, population and health, statistical demography, spatial statistics, geo-processing in demography, databases and social indicators, and public policies analysis and evaluation. Former member of the Brazilian Population Association council board (2001-2004); was former general secretary, vice-president, and president (2009-2010) of the Latin American Population Association (ALAP). Currently is member of the consulting council of ALAP and member of the Editing Committee of ALAP’s Journal (RELAP) of the Brazilian Population Journal (REBEP). Currently is member of the Brazilian National Population and Development Commission (CNPD). Currently is council member of the International Union of Scientific Study of Population.