Anecdotal evidence in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) suggests that it is unlikely for marriages with children to break up, especially when the children are male. To provide new empirical evidence, this study was conducted to investigate the effect of premarital birth and sex composition of children on marital instability (divorce or separation) among ever-married women in SSA. Data from a weighted sample of 205,997 women from Demographic and Health Surveys conducted in 26 sub-Saharan African countries between 2011 and 2014 were analysed. Stratified by sub-region, analysis involved the use of descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression models with robust standard errors. Parity-specific logistic regression models were fitted to investigate the association between sex composition and marital instability at parities 1, 2, 3 and 4+. The percentage of women with experience of marital instability in the four sub-regions was: Western (4.6%), Central (12.0%), Eastern (10.5%) and Southern Africa (11.4%). Premarital birth was significantly associated with marital instability in Western (OR = 1.52, p < 0.05), Central (OR = 1.22, p < 0.05), Eastern (OR = 1.39, p < 0.05) and Southern Africa (OR = 1.25, p < 0.05). In Western Africa, at parities 1–2, women with female children were significantly more likely to be divorced or separated. At parities 3 and above, there was no significant difference in the odds of marital instability between women with majority male and those with majority female children. This study extends current knowledge about family dynamics by providing a wider view on the relationship between premarital birth, children’s sex composition and marital instability in the four sub-regions of sub-Saharan Africa.

中文翻译：

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撒哈拉以南非洲地区的妇女的婚前生育，子女的性别组成和婚姻不稳定

撒哈拉以南非洲（SSA）的轶事证据表明，有子女的婚姻不太可能破裂，尤其是在子女为男性的情况下。为了提供新的经验证据，本研究旨在调查SSA中已婚妇女的婚前出生和性别组成对婚姻不稳定（离婚或分居）的影响。分析了2011年至2014年间在26个撒哈拉以南非洲国家进行的人口与健康调查得出的205997名妇女的加权样本数据。按次区域分层，分析涉及使用描述性统计数据和具有可靠标准误的多个逻辑回归模型。特定于奇偶性的逻辑回归模型用于研究性别组成与1、2、3和4岁以上的婚姻不稳定之间的关联。在四个次区域中，婚姻不稳定的妇女百分比为：西部（4.6％），中部（12.0％），东部（10.5％）和南部非洲（11.4％）。婚前出生与西方（OR = 1.52，p <0.05），中部（OR = 1.22，p <0.05），东部（OR = 1.39，p <0.05）和南部非洲（OR = 1.25，p）的婚姻不稳定显着相关。 <0.05）。在西部非洲，在1-2岁时，有女童的妇女离婚或分居的可能性大大增加。在3岁及以上的男女中，男性居多的女性和子女居多的女性之间的婚姻不稳定几率没有显着差异。这项研究通过提供更广泛的婚前生育之间关系的信息，扩展了有关家庭动态的当前知识。