Determinants of the Intended and Actual Family Sizes among Women in Kenya – Cohort Study

John Kinyua, Mount Kenya University

Past studies have already established that intended family size is not a static but rather dynamic concept. It has also been shown that there is always a difference between intended and actual family size. In Africa, however no longitudinal study has been conducted to establish dynamic nature of intended and actual family sizes across a woman’s fertility life span. This research work aims to use life span theory of control and non-overlapping sample survey data spanning a whole cohort fertility life span to establish how intended family sizes and actual family sizes change over women’s fertility lifespan in Kenya. Expected findings are that level of education, age, and number of children already born affects the reported family size intentions while knowledge and access to contraceptives, education level, and age at having a stable partner affect actual family size.