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Henry Nsobya, Uganda Development and Health Associates
Allen Kabagenyi, Makerere University, Institute of Statistics And Applied Economics,
The study examined trends for timing of first child birth after onset of sexual activity and the associated time to event factors. Uganda Demographic Health Survey (UDHS) (2001-2016) data and the Cox Proportional Hazard analysis were used. Women and men who had reported data on age at first sex were included. There was not any change in the median age at first child birth among both men and women in the period 2001 – 2016. The time interval between onset of sexual activity and first child birth remained stationary at 2 and 5 years respectively, among women and men. In 2016, the median time to first child birth was 22 (IQR: 20-25) and 18 (IQR: 16-20) years, the incidence rate was 5.4 and 4.3% respectively, among men and women. Regression models showed that Education, age at first cohabitation, wealth status and religion, the perception that women who use contraception become promiscuous, watching television, reading newspapers and magazines, and region were associated with the time to first child birth. Improving education at both secondary and higher levels, demystifying myths and misconceptions on contraception, reducing early marriages and initiation into parenthood among adolescents should be emphasized among both men and women.
Keywords: Fertility and childbirth