Table 2.
Characteristics of mothers classified by their smallest observed birth interval, as raw averages across 145 surveys in 66 countries since 1998, among women who were at least 35 years of age when surveyed
| Smallest birth interval | Total number of women (thousands) | Mean (SD) age at survey | Mean (SD) fertility | % in bottom wealth quintilea | % with no education |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Only first births | 45 | 40.5 (0.6) | 1 (na) | 12.7 (6.8) | 28.9 (26.0) |
| <18 months | 205 | 41.7 (0.6) | 6.5 (1.3) | 22.7 (3.7) | 41.6 (30.6) |
| 18–23 months | 151 | 41.1 (0.6) | 5.6 (1.1) | 21.1 (4.2) | 38.8 (30.6) |
| 24–35 months | 134 | 41.0 (0.6) | 4.4 (0.8) | 17.5 (4.0) | 33.8 (29.2) |
| ≥36 months | 113 | 40.6 (0.7) | 2.8 (0.3) | 12.3 (5.9) | 28.5 (26.8) |
a
Wealth quintile data do not include 1999 survey in Nigeria; na, not applicable.