1.4 Contribution of adolescent fertility to total fertility

The contribution of adolescent fertility to total fertility quantifies the proportion of all births that occur in adolescence. Over time, as total fertility has fallen across the globe, this measure will reveal whether or not adolescent fertility has fallen in step. For example, in the Latin American context––where total fertility has fallen over the last half century from about 6 to 2 children per woman and adolescent fertility has changed very little––the measure highlights the growing influence of adolescent childbearing. It is important to note that because the measures throughout this analysis are cohort-based (not period measures), this comparison will only be possible for cohorts of women 40 years and older at the time of a DHS or MICS survey. Often, cohort-based total fertility is referred to as children ever born, and cohort measures of total fertility are usually higher than (period) total fertility rates. The analysis will produce country-specific, regional and global trends.