Abstract
The Gainj of highland Papua New Guinea do not use contraception but have a total fertility rate of only 4·3 live births per woman, one of the lowest ever recorded in a natural fertility setting. From an analysis of cross-sectional demographic and endocrinological data, the causes of low reproductive output have been identified in women of this population as: late menarche and marriage, a long interval between marriage and first birth, a high probability of widowhood at later reproductive ages, low effective fecundability and prolonged lactational amenorrhoea. These are combined with near-universal marriage, a low prevalence of primary sterility and a pattern of onset of secondary sterility similar to that found in other populations. Of all the factors limiting fertility, by far the most important are those involved in birth spacing, especially lactational amenorrhoea.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 57-79 |
| Number of pages | 23 |
| Journal | Journal of Biosocial Science |
| Volume | 17 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jan 1 1985 |
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All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Social Sciences(all)
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
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Demographic and endocrinological aspects of low natural fertility in highland New Guinea. / Wood, James William; Johnson, Patricia L.; Campbell, Kenneth L.
In: Journal of Biosocial Science, Vol. 17, No. 1, 01.01.1985, p. 57-79.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - Demographic and endocrinological aspects of low natural fertility in highland New Guinea
AU - Wood, James William
AU - Johnson, Patricia L.
AU - Campbell, Kenneth L.
PY - 1985/1/1
Y1 - 1985/1/1
N2 - The Gainj of highland Papua New Guinea do not use contraception but have a total fertility rate of only 4·3 live births per woman, one of the lowest ever recorded in a natural fertility setting. From an analysis of cross-sectional demographic and endocrinological data, the causes of low reproductive output have been identified in women of this population as: late menarche and marriage, a long interval between marriage and first birth, a high probability of widowhood at later reproductive ages, low effective fecundability and prolonged lactational amenorrhoea. These are combined with near-universal marriage, a low prevalence of primary sterility and a pattern of onset of secondary sterility similar to that found in other populations. Of all the factors limiting fertility, by far the most important are those involved in birth spacing, especially lactational amenorrhoea.
AB - The Gainj of highland Papua New Guinea do not use contraception but have a total fertility rate of only 4·3 live births per woman, one of the lowest ever recorded in a natural fertility setting. From an analysis of cross-sectional demographic and endocrinological data, the causes of low reproductive output have been identified in women of this population as: late menarche and marriage, a long interval between marriage and first birth, a high probability of widowhood at later reproductive ages, low effective fecundability and prolonged lactational amenorrhoea. These are combined with near-universal marriage, a low prevalence of primary sterility and a pattern of onset of secondary sterility similar to that found in other populations. Of all the factors limiting fertility, by far the most important are those involved in birth spacing, especially lactational amenorrhoea.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0021957607&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0021957607&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1017/S0021932000015479
DO - 10.1017/S0021932000015479
M3 - Article
C2 - 3972857
AN - SCOPUS:0021957607
VL - 17
SP - 57
EP - 79
JO - Journal of Biosocial Science
JF - Journal of Biosocial Science
SN - 0021-9320
IS - 1
ER -