Table 1.

Comparison of fertility intention questions used in the present study, Bankole and Ezeh (1999) and Becker (1999)

	Present Study				Bankole and Ezeh (1999)	Becker (1999)
	Timing of Assessment	Question	Base	Recode	Timing of Assessment*	Timing of Assessment*
Wife Fertility Intentions
Currently pregnant	Retrospective	When you got pregnant, did you want to be pregnant then, later, or did you not want any (more) children?	Asked of currently pregnant women	No unmet need •Wanted then •Wants within 2 years Unmet need for spacing •Wanted later •Wants after 2+ years •Wants but unsure of timing •Undecided Unmet need for limiting •Did not want at all •Wants no more	Not included/not considered at risk for unmet need	Prospective
Post-partum amenorrheic	Retrospective	When you got pregnant with [LAST CHILD], did you want to be pregnant then, later, or did you not want any (more) children?	Asked of all women who have children
Fecund, not pregnant or post-partum amenorrheic	Prospective	Do you want to have a (another) child, or would you prefer not to have any (more) children? If she does want to have a (another child): How long from now would you want to wait before the birth of a (another) child?	Asked of women who are not sterilized, their husbands are not sterilized, they are not pregnant or are unsure of whether they are pregnant		Prospective
Husband Fertility Intentions
Currently pregnant	Retrospective	When your wife became pregnant, did you want her to be pregnant then, later, or did you not want her to become pregnant?	Asked of men who report that their wives are currently pregnant	No unmet need •Wanted then •Wants within 2 years Unmet need for spacing •Wanted later •Wants after 2+ years •Wants but unsure of timing •Undecided Unmet need for limiting •Did not want at all •Wants no more	Not included/not considered at risk for unmet need	Prospective
Post-partum amenorrheic	Retrospective	When you were expecting your last child, did you want the child at that time, later, or did you not want any (more) children?	Asked of men who have more than one child
Fecund, not pregnant or post-partum amenorrheic	Prospective	Do you want to have a (another) child, or would you prefer not to have any (more) children? If he does want to have a (another child): How long from now would you want to wait before the birth of a (another) child?	Asked of men who are not sterilized, whose wives are not sterilized and not pregnant or they are unsure of whether their wives are pregnant		Prospective

^*Prospective fertility intentions in Bankole and Ezeh, 1999 and Becker, 1999 were measured using the same questions and recodes as in the present study.