Union Formation and the Timing of a First Birth in Central Uganda: A Decrement Lifetable Analysis

Abstract

The aim of the paper was to use event history survey data to answer the question of whether the timing of a first child differs between women who married after cohabitation, women who married directly and those still cohabiting as a form of first union.  This paper was based on a study of a micro-survey data collected on the three first unions in central Uganda using retrospective methods and analyzed using decrement life-tables. The results showed that whether married directly, following cohabitation, or still cohabitating, the risk of giving birth to a first child within one year was nearly the same. However, marrying directly accelerated the pace of giving birth to a first child. Age at first union significantly influenced the timing of a first birth, especially during the first year of first union with women aged 20 and over exhibiting shorter intervals.

Keywords: Marriage, cohabitation, first union, first birth, nuptiality, lifetable, Uganda