Fertility Differential Among Women in Poor and Rich Wealth Quintile in Urbanized Areas Nigeria

Introduction Fertility differentials in urbanized Nigeria are significantly influenced by wealth status, shaping reproductive behavior -through socio-demographic factors such as education, employment, marital patterns, and contraceptive use. Understanding how the wealth status impacts fertility patterns is important for policymaking and sustainable development. This study explored the relationship between wealth status and fertility behavior among urban women over a 15-year period (2003–2018) Method A cross-sectional study design was employed using nationally representative demographic and health survey data. The study applied both bivariate and multinomial logistic regression analyses to examine the relationship between socio-economic factors and fertility differentials. Bivariate analysis was conducted using bivariate logistic regression to identify initial associations between independent variables and fertility outcomes. Multinomial logistic regression further assessed the adjusted effects of these factors while controlling for confounders. Data were analyzed at a 95% confidence interval, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. Results The analysis revealed significant differences in fertility patterns based on socioeconomic status. Poor women were more likely to have higher fertility rates compared to their rich counterparts. Age was negatively associated with fertility (OR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.70–0.74 for poor women; OR = 1.18, 95% CI: 1.17–1.18 for rich women). Education played a crucial role, with higher education levels correlating with lower fertility rates. Women with no education had the highest fertility, while those with higher education had reduced odds of having more children (OR = 0.21, 95% CI: 0.16–0.26). Marital status significantly influenced fertility, with divorced or widowed women being more likely to have fewer children compared to married women. Age at first marriage was another critical factor; women who married at 18 years or older had lower fertility rates (OR = 0.09, CI: 0.08–0.11,95%). Contraceptive use was also a strong determinant, with modern contraceptive users exhibiting significantly lower fertility rates compared to non-users (OR = 3.46, CI: 3.03–3.95,95%) Conclusion This study has shown that, significant fertility differences among poor and rich women in urbanized Nigeria. Rich women exhibit lower fertility rates and a preference for smaller family sizes, whereas other women tend to have larger families. Efforts should be made to expand access to modern contraceptive methods and increased distribution of affordable contraceptives in low-income urban areas.