68% of South African women with babies under the age of two are single (never married and not living together). This proportion is up from 50% in 2006. (AMPS2012, AMPS2006)
Hi there. I’m busy doing research on Mom’s, and found this fact posted by eighty20 in ’09 ‘54% of South African women with babies (up to 2 years) are single, down from 73% in 2004. (AMPS 2008B RA, AMPS 2004 RA) [Comment on this fact]. It doesn’t seem to align with the quote above? Granted the stats would change from then, but it seems like a drastic reversal of sorts ? Please provide some insights on this if possible.
According to AMPS, the proportion of women with babies (up to 2 years) is (for selected years): 2005: 54%, 2007: 48%, 2009: 64%, 2012: 68%.
It appears the reason for the significant jump down from 73% in 2004 is due to a wording difference in the questionnaires. In 2004, the questionnaire referred to women with ‘babies (up to 2 years)’, ‘children (2-15 years)’ and ‘both babies and children’. From 2005 onwards, the questionnaire refers only to ‘babies (up to 2 years)’ and ‘children (2-15 years)’. Therefore the categories are actually not directly comparable pre-2005.
Marcelle
Eighty20