Availability of Social Grants and Teenage Fertility among the Black South African Population in Post-Apartheid South Africa: Are Both Associated?

Eric O. Udjo, University of South Africa

Several studies have drawn attention to the negative consequences of teenage fertility. As part of its poverty alleviation programe, the South African Government offers child support grant to non-income and low-income earners who are single parents. The impact of the child support grant on fertility in South Africa has aroused interest in the last couple of years and sparked debate about increase in teenage fertility due to the child support grant yet no empirical evidence has been produced to establish this relationship. This study examines the association between social grant and teenage fertility in South Africa using the South Africa’s 2007 community survey using logistic regression. The analysis includes logistic regression to determine whether chid support grant significantly increases the odds of teenage fertility.