Fertility level in urban Nigerian societies: recent observations from Eket urban of Akwa Ibom state of south eastern Nigeria

The primary objective of the study was to obtain reliable information on the current levels of fertility in Eket urban. The Eket urban fertility survey was conducted in November and December 1990. A brief of demographic characteristics of the respondents was presented. This was done with the view to providing background information relevant to the study. The data presented show a high fertility rate for Eket urban. The mean number of children ever born (CEB) to all the women is 5.61. Completed fertility, as shown by the number of children ever born to the women, who have reached the end of their reproductive lives, is 7.14 at the time of the survey. The total fertility rate for the last twelve months preceding the survey is 7.27. About 45 percent of the women reported themselves as pregnant at the time of the survey. It was observed that like the age specific fertility rates, the proportion of women pregnant is highest for women in the peak years of childbearing, i.e. in the 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, and 35-59 age groups.