Abstract

Bangladesh has achieved near replacement level fertility. Since the 1990s, the country has also been experiencing major demographic and socio-economic changes, which are believed to have influenced fertility norms and behaviour. Changes include a downward trend in childhood mortality; upward trends in education, especially female education; access to mass media; women’s status; steady economic growth and poverty reduction; labour force and employment, especially among females; and rising urbanization. Over time, fertility preferences have also undergone changes. Analyses, based on data from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Surveys (BDHSs) from 2000 to 2014, show that preferences for more children among currently married women aged 15–49 years with two or more children are associated with their demographic, cultural, and socio-economic characteristics.