Change in Fertility Intentions in the First Year of COVID-19: Evidence from Four Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa

Recent evidence suggests that women in high-income countries desired to delay or forgo childbearing due to COVID-19, yet there remains insufficient evidence of COVID-19's impact on fertility desires in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). We examined how quantum and tempo of fertility intentions changed in the first year of COVID-19 and assessed the impact of economic insecurity and sociodemographic characteristics on these changes in SSA. We used longitudinal data collected among 14,053 women from Kenya, Burkina Faso, two provinces in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Kinshasa and Kongo Central), and two states in Nigeria (Kano and Lagos). Descriptive analyses and logistic regression examined overall changes and economic and sociodemographic factors associated with quantum and tempo shifts. At the population-level, most women remained stable in their fertility intentions throughout the first year of COVID-19. Despite widespread income loss, few women reported that COVID-19 influenced their near-term childbearing intentions. However, among women who changed their intentions in Burkina Faso and Kenya, income loss was associated with transitions toward wanting to delay or limit childbearing, particularly among the poorest women. These findings underscore the importance of accounting for context when anticipating the consequences of public health emergencies on fertility. © 2023 The Authors. Population and Development Review published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Population Council.

Progress in control and elimination of rubella and congenital rubella syndrome worldwide, 2012-2020

Progress towards rubella elimination has accelerated since 2012, and, in 2020, rubella elimination had been verified in approximately one half the countries of the world. Progress is reflected in increased numbers of countries introducing RCV into national childhood immunization schedules and the coverage achieved. Between 2012 and 2020, the number of countries that introduced RCV increased from 132 to 173, and global coverage increased from 40% to 70%. Although the availability of vaccine increased and more LICs and LMICs have introduced RCV, estimates of coverage continue to reflect barriers to access in lower-income countries. Nevertheless, coverage decreased by only 1 percentage point between 2019 and 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Progress is also reflected in the decrease in the number of reported cases, including a 48% decrease during 2012- 2019 and a further decrease in 2020.