Parents’ Attitudes Towards Their Daughter’s First Delivery

According to UNFPA, adolescent girls are twice as likely to die during pregnancy or childbirth as women in their 20s and their children are more likely to be undernourished. Early age at first birth also decreases women’s education and income-generating opportunities. This indicator therefore measures the proportion of either fathers or mothers who do not think that their daughter should deliver her first child before the age of 20.

Collect the following data by conducting individual interviews with a representative sample of either fathers or mothers of girls aged 10 to 17 years:

RECOMMENDED SURVEY QUESTIONS (Q) AND POSSIBLE ANSWERS (A)

Q1: Do you have one or more daughters aged 10 to 17 years?

A1: _

1) yes, one daughter aged 10 - 17 years

2) yes, more than one daughter aged 10 - 17 years

3) no, he/ she does not have a daughter aged 10 - 17 years

(ask the following question only if the previous answer is YES)

Q2: Has she / have they delivered a baby?  

A2: yes / no

(ask the following question only if the previous answer is NO)

Q3: If you consider your family’s situation and the attitudes of different family members, what is the ideal age at which your daughter(s) should deliver the first baby?

A3: _

1) specify the age: __________________

To calculate the indicator’s value, divide the number of respondents who do NOT think that their daughter(s) should deliver her first child before the age of 20 by the total number of respondents with daughter(s) aged 10 to 17 years. Multiply the result by 100 to convert it to a percentage. 

Disaggregate the data by the respondent’s ethnicity, education level, wealth category, and other factors depending on the local context.