ABSTRACT

This study focuses on the level and differentials of family size preferences among women ill Nigeria. The ultimate objective of this study is to identify areas with high family size preferences and it causes which will help to predict the future fertility level among women in Nigeria. The data source is the 2003 NDI-IS and DHS from selected countries of world. The measure of levels and differentials of family size preferences used in this study is the mean ideal family size. The data was collected based on the question asking respondents "if you could start childbearing afresh and choose the number of children to have in your whole life, how many children would that be". A response to this question on the background characteristics of the surveyed women such as age, level of education. place of residence. region of residence etc. can serve as a valid picture of the fertility intensions of the women. At the end of the study. it was discovered that Nigerian women. irrespective of the number of their living children, consider large families ideal. From the findings of this study, if nothing is done towards reducing the family size preferences, the future fertility levels in Nigeria will increase beyond imagination