FAMILY SIZE PREFERENCES AND DETERMINANTS: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF MARRIED WOMEN IN RURAL AND URBAN COMMUNITIES IN BAYELSA STATE, NIGERIA

Desired family size is a key determinant of fertility and population dynamics. In Nigeria, substantial rural–urban differences in socio‑economic conditions, cultural norms, and access to information may shape women’s family size preferences in distinct ways. This study compared family size preferences and their determinants among married women in rural and urban communities in Bayelsa State A community‑based comparative cross‑sectional study was conducted among 862 married women (431 rural; 431 urban), selected through the multistage sampling technique. Data were collected using an interviewer‑administered semi-structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi‑square tests. Statistical significance was set at p ≤ 0.05. The mean age was 35.92 ± 8.52 years (rural: 35.62 ± 8.46; urban: 36.23 ± 8.57), with no significant rural–urban difference. Christianity was the predominant religion and was significantly more frequent among urban women (88.4% vs. 81.9%; p = 0.03). Urban respondents were significantly more likely to have tertiary education (73.8% vs. 38.0%) and formal employment, whereas rural women had secondary education, were self‑employed or unemployed, and reported lower monthly incomes (all p < 0.01). Women with a parity of three to four children constituted the largest group (45.2%) across both settings; however, women with five or more children were more prevalent in rural areas, while childlessness was more frequent among urban women (p = 0.03). A preferred family size of three to four children was reported in both settings but was significantly more common among urban women (63.3% vs. 44.8%; p < 0.01), with a higher proportion of rural women undecided about the desired family size. Financial considerations, cultural norms, and health concerns were identified as major determinants of preferred family size, with financial and health reasons being more prominent in urban respondents and cultural reasons being more influential in rural respondents (all p < 0.05). Married women in Bayelsa State increasingly favor a moderate family size of three to four children, with urban women showing a stronger preference for smaller families. Socio‑economic status, cultural norms, and health considerations differentially shape family size preferences across rural and urban settings, underscoring the need for context‑sensitive reproductive health and family planning interventions