Influence of Maternal Education on Second Childbirth Interval Among Women in South Africa: Rural-Urban Differential Using Survival Analysis

Inter-birth interval lengthening is a key component of fertility decline. Although South Africa fertility rate remains the lowest in sub-Saharan Africa, information on the effect of education on the interval between first- and second-birth across residential contexts is rarely documented. The study investigated the relationship between maternal education and second-birth interval (SbI) by residence among South African women. The study analyzed the 2016 South Africa Demographic and Health Survey data on 6,039 women aged 15 to 49 years who had reported at least one childbirth at the time of survey. Survival analysis methods were applied at 5% significance level. The SbI was significantly longer (p