THE SHORT-TERM IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON FERTILITY AND USE OF CONTRACEPTIVE METHODS IN EAST ZIMBABWE

Simon Gregson, Imperial College London
Rebekah Morris, Imperial College London School of Public Health
Rufurwokuda Maswera, Biomedical Research and Training Institute
Louisa Moorhouse, Imperial College London
Sophie Bagnay, Imperial College London School of Public Health
Constance Nyamukapa, Imperial College London

INTRODUCTION-Little is known about how Covid-19 has impacted fertility in sub-Saharan African populations. We investigate whether fertility and contraceptive use changed during Covid-19 in east Zimbabwe. METHODS-Data on fertility variables were collected from women aged 15-54yrs in populations surveys conducted pre-Covid-19 (July 2018-December 2019), during-Covid-19 (March-July 2021) and immediately post-Covid-19 (July-December 2022). Proportions of women reporting live births in the last year, current pregnancy, and using contraceptive methods were calculated for the first two surveys. Differences between surveys were investigated using multivariable logistic regression. The conference paper will include the post-Covid-19 survey and comparisons of TFR and ASFRs. RESULTS-Non-statistically significant reductions in live births in the last year and current pregnancy were found in the during-Covid-19 survey. In young women (15-24yrs), smaller proportions reported ever having had a birth (33.8% vs. 42.0%; AOR=0.65, p<0.001), a pregnancy in the last year (18.6% vs. 25.6%; AOR=0.68, p<0.001), having started sex (46.2% vs. 55.7%; AOR=0.64, p<0.001) and being married (34.7% vs. 43.2%; AOR=0.69, p<0.001). For sexually-active young women, the proportion using contraception declined (59.8% vs. 65.5%; AOR=0.64, p<0.001). DISCUSSION-Postponements in sexual debut and marriage may have outweighed the effects of less contraception to reduce fertility in young women during Covid-19 in east Zimbabwe.

Keywords: Fertility, Longitudinal studies , Family Planning and Contraception, Population, Shocks and Pandemics

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