Interviewer instructions
Section 7 - Fertility
This section is comprised of Questions 32 to 38 and the information is to be completed only for females 14 years or older who are not attending school (not including a tertiary institution full time)
5.62 Question 36 - Number of Live Births/Stillbirths During Past 12 Months
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In this question, one row has been used for two closely connected questions. One response position is to be marked on the left hand side for Live Births - Question 36a, and one, on the right hand side, Stillbirths - Question 36b.
It is possible for a woman to have more than one delivery in the same 12 month period. However, the rate of occurrence of this is very low. It is necessary, therefore, to ask about both stillbirths and live births.
It is in order to cope with recall lapses that each part of this question provides for different categories of deliveries, and these should be mentioned to the individual one by one. Attention should also be paid to obtaining accuracy in respect of the time interval during which births are to be included. Remember that the children included here must have been born between the dates 9th June, 1981 and 8th June, 1982 inclusive.
5.63 Question 36(a) - live births
Ask the question this way: "Did you (she) give birth to any live born children during the past year, that is, between 9th June 1981 and 8th June 1982?" If the answer is "No", score "0" under live births. If the answer is "Yes" follow up by asking: "How many live born children did you (she) have during that time? One, two, three, etc. (as is relevant)?" For one live born child score "1". For twins both live born, score "TW". For two children both live born but at separate births during the year, score "2".
For cases where the woman gave birth to three or more live born children during the year (including twins or otherwise) mark "3+". In cases where it has not been possible after all efforts to obtain the information, score "Not Stated" in the last response position on the left hand side.
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5.64 Question 36(b) - still births
Ask the question this way: "Did you (she) have any still-born children during the past years, that is, between 9th June 1981 and 8th June 1982?"
Mark one of the response positions depending on the reply.
5.65 Question 36 - General
Remember that the left hand side of the row refers only to live-births and the right hand side to still births so that if, during the year, a woman had twins, for example, one child being live-born and one stillborn - you should record "1" under live-births and "l" under still-births.
Pay particular attention to the definitions of live-birth and still-birth given you by your instructor.
Simply, a still-birth is the product of a pregnancy of not less than 28 weeks duration in which the child shows no sign of life after expulsion. A live-birth is the product of a pregnancy which shows some form of life after expulsion even if it dies a few minutes after.
