Socio-Demographic Factors Influencing Fertility in Elderly Women in Manipur, North East India

Abstract

Located at India's easternmost border, Manipur exhibits diverse stages of demographic transition and high fertility rates. Despite the National Population Policy (NPP)-2000's aims for stable population growth through 12 strategic themes, community-based studies on fertility determinants in Manipur are lacking. This study evaluates socio-demographic factors influencing completed fertility among elderly married women aged 50-55 years in Manipur. Using a retrospective cross-sectional design, data were collected from 1179 menopausal women in valley districts via cluster sampling. The survey, conducted from March 2019 to January 2020, analysed data using multiple binary logistic regression models. Results indicate a significant association between completed fertility (3.1) and factors like education (P<0.01), sex of the second child (P<0.01), and son preference (P<0.01). These findings offer critical insights for future research on maternal health and support India's population control objectives.