In 2022, the divorce rate in the United States stood at *** per 1,000 of the population. Divorce in the U.S. Divorce is the termination of a marital union. In the United States, as in most other countries, it is a legal process in which a judge or another legal authority dissolves the bonds of matrimony existing between two persons. The process of divorce also normally involves issues surrounding distribution of property, financial support of the former spouse, child custody and child support. A divorce also allows a person to marry again.In the United States, divorce is, like marriage, a matter for state governments, not the federal government. Although divorce laws vary from state to state, for example on which terms a divorce can be arranged, a divorce must be certified by a court of law to become effective. A declining divorce rate Over the last couple of years, both the marriage rate and the divorce rate have been declining in the United States. As of 2009, the average length of a first marriage in the U.S. was ***** years, while the average length of a second marriage was about ** years.

In 2022, there were 67.85 million married men and 68.45 million married women living in the United States. This is compared to 3.7 million widowed men and 11.48 million widowed women.

Marriage in the United States

Nevada had the highest marriage rate in the United States in 2021, followed by Hawaii and Montana. This can be attributed to marriage accessibility in the state. Las Vegas weddings are known for being quick, easy, and inexpensive chapel weddings. In comparison to the cheap weddings available in Las Vegas, the average expenditure for a wedding in the United States was the highest in New Jersey, clocking in at 51,000 U.S. dollars.

Same-sex marriage

The number of Americans who think that same-sex marriage should be recognized by law has more than doubled since 1996, while the number of Americans who think it should not be valid has decreased. It was not until June 26, 2015 that the United States Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage in all 50 states. Before then, it was up to the states to decide if they allowed same-sex marriage. States in the Southeast are the most opposed to same-sex marriage, whereas the strongest support comes from Northern coastal states.

NOTE: For information on confidentiality protection, nonsampling error, and definitions, see http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/doc/sf1.pdf..Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census..NOTE: "Families" consist of a householder and one or more other people related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. They do not include same-sex married couples even if the marriage was performed in a state issuing marriage certificates for same-sex couples. Responses of "same-sex spouse" were edited during processing to "unmarried partner."

The Wedding Services industry provides a wide variety of wedding day services, apparel retailers and venues. Evolving social norms and medical advancements, which enable women to safely give birth later in life, have caused the marriage rate to decline in recent decades. Extended periods of cohabitation before marriage and family planning have increasingly become normal among young couples. As a result, the industry has contended with declining revenue over the past five years. Despite fewer couples getting married, increasing per capita disposable income has enabled those seeking to spend more on their big day, limiting revenue declines. Nonetheless, as couples postponed or downsized their weddings during the COVID-19 pandemic, industry revenue dropped significantly in 2020 alone. Consequently, industry revenue fell at a CAGR of 4.1% to $70.3 billion over the past five years, including a decrease of 0.6% in 2023 alone.Despite rising wedding budgets, which translated to higher revenue, heightened competition has hindered revenue per operator. Over the past five years, the barriers to entry for operators in this industry have decreased as more couples can find vendors through the internet. Online marketing and social media have increased visibility for wedding services and lowered marketing budgets, making it easier for new companies to enter the industry. But, coronavirus-related pressures forced many of these new entrants out of the industry. Also, limited demand because of the declining marriage rate has led to lower revenue per operator somewhat deterring new entrants.Moving forward, industry demand will continue to be pressured by the marriage rate, which will further decline over the next five years. Even so, continued pent-up demand from previously postponed weddings will support industry revenue. During the outlook period, rising consumer confidence indicates that individuals will be more willing to take on nonessential expenditures and incur high wedding costs. Also, the increasing average age of marriage and the length of engagements will give couples more time to plan and save money for their ceremonies. Overall, industry revenue will rise at a CAGR of 0.2% to $71.1 billion over the next five years.

NOTE: For information on confidentiality protection, nonsampling error, and definitions, see http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/doc/sf1.pdf..Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census..NOTE: "Families" consist of a householder and one or more other people related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. They do not include same-sex married couples even if the marriage was performed in a state issuing marriage certificates for same-sex couples. Responses of "same-sex spouse" were edited during processing to "unmarried partner."

NOTE: For information on confidentiality protection, nonsampling error, and definitions, see http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/doc/sf2.pdf.Summary File 2 has a population threshold of 100. Data are available only for the population groups having a population of 100 or more of that specific group within a particular geographic area. .Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census..NOTE 2: "Families" consist of a householder and one or more other people related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. They do not include same-sex married couples even if the marriage was performed in a state issuing marriage certificates for same-sex couples. Responses of "same-sex spouse" were edited during processing to "unmarried partner.".NOTE 1: When a category other than Total Population is selected, the data in this table refer to the race, Hispanic or Latino origin, or tribe/tribal grouping of the householder.

NOTE: For information on confidentiality protection, nonsampling error, and definitions, see http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/doc/sf1.pdf..Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census..NOTE: "Families" consist of a householder and one or more other people related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. They do not include same-sex married couples even if the marriage was performed in a state issuing marriage certificates for same-sex couples. Responses of "same-sex spouse" were edited during processing to "unmarried partner."

81 percent of the Silent generation were married between the age of 23 and 38. This is true for only 44 percent of Millennials.

NOTE: For information on confidentiality protection, nonsampling error, and definitions, see http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/doc/sf1.pdf..Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census..NOTE: "Families" consist of a householder and one or more other people related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. They do not include same-sex married couples even if the marriage was performed in a state issuing marriage certificates for same-sex couples. Responses of "same-sex spouse" were edited during processing to "unmarried partner."

NOTE: For information on confidentiality protection, nonsampling error, and definitions, see https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial/rdo/technical-documentation/CD116_TechnicalDocumentation.pdf..Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census..NOTE: "Families" consist of a householder and one or more other people related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. They do not include same-sex married couples even if the marriage was performed in a state issuing marriage certificates for same-sex couples. Responses of "same-sex spouse" were edited during processing to "unmarried partner."

Purpose and short description The statistic includes all widowhoods having occurred during a given year and concerning a Belgian resident. These events are divided according to the widow(er)’s municipality of residence, the month of the event, the age, the nationality of the spouses, the household’s situation, the parental situation, the marriage duration,... It also presents the average ages at the time of widowhood according to various criteria: sex, order of marriage, nationality. Survey population All widowhoods Periodicity Annual Release calendar Results available 9 months after the reference period. Definitions The crude widowhood rate is the ratio between the number of widowhoods having occurred during the year and the mean of the total population of that same year. The total “widowhood” rate or sum of duration-specific widowhoods indicates the number of widowhoods in a fictitious group of 1,000 marriages if, for each marriage duration, we observe the same widowhood rates than those recorded in the year concerned. Municipality of widowhood: municipality of residence of the widow(er) at the time of the event. Month of widowhood: month of widowhood derived from the date of widowhood (i.e. the death of the spouse). Age of the widow(er): age of the widow(er) at the time of widowhood, calculated in completed years as the difference between the date of the widowhood and the date of birth. Age of the deceased spouse: age of the spouse at the time of his/her death, calculated in completed years as the difference between the date of death (=date of widowhood for the surviving spouse) and the date of birth. Group of nationalities: grouping of the countries of nationality of the widow(er) or his/her deceased spouse according to whether this country is Belgium, a Member State of the European Union or another country. Place of marriage: place where the marriage of the widow(er) and his/her deceased spouse has been registered according to IT120 of the National Register. Household’s situation: type of household where the widow(er) lives at the time of widowhood, based mainly on the analysis of ITs 140 and 141 on the household composition and its members. Parental situation: situation of the widow(er) according to the presence or not of at least one of his/her children at the same residence; based on the analysis of the IT 110 on filiation. Geographical situation of the widow(er)’s children: distance of any children of the widow(er), based on the joint analysis of ITs 110 (filiation), 001 (municipality of residence) and 020 (address of the main residence). A child identified at the same address as his/her widowed parent is considered to be living at the latter’s home. Only living children registered in the National Register are taken into account. The category “Child(ren) abroad” includes widow(er)s without any children registered in Belgium at the time of widowhood and having at least one child registered abroad or deleted from the National Register at that same date. Widow(er)s with children abroad who have never lived in Belgium and so never been registered in the National Register cannot be taken into consideration. Average duration of marriage: average of marriage durations (=difference between the date of widowhood and the date of marriage) of the cases of widowhood observed in a given year. Those for which the date of marriage is not known are not included. Average age at the time of widowhood/death: average of ages of the persons concerned (widow(er)s or their deceased spouse). The persons whose age at the time of widowhood/decease is not known are not taken into account.

NOTE: For information on confidentiality protection, nonsampling error, and definitions, see http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/doc/aiansf.pdf. The American Indian and Alaska Native Summary File has a population threshold of 100. Data are available only for the population groups having a population of 100 or more of that specific group within a particular geographic area..Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census..NOTE 2: "Families" consist of a householder and one or more other people related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. They do not include same-sex married couples even if the marriage was performed in a state issuing marriage certificates for same-sex couples. Responses of "same-sex spouse" were edited during processing to "unmarried partner.".NOTE 1: When a category other than Total Population is selected, the data in this table refer to the tribe/tribal grouping of the householder.

The Bridal Stores industry is navigating a multifaceted landscape shaped by several critical factors, including a declining marriage rate, economic volatility characterized by rising inflation and fluctuating interest rates and the pervasive presence of e-commerce. Many bridal stores have been innovative, adapting to sustain their relevance and appeal in an increasingly digital world while catering to a broad demographic range of customers. Bridal stores' revenue has dropped at a CAGR of 0.1% over the past five years to reach an estimated $2.8 billion in 2024, when income is projected to shrink by 1.3%. The declining marriage rate has directly impacted the number of customers seeking bridal services, slowing overall growth. Also, economic volatility has caused per capita disposable income fluctuations, influencing how much consumers are willing to spend on weddings. As a result, many bridal stores have diversified their offerings to include wedding gowns, accessories, bridal party attire and event planning services to attract a broader clientele. Despite these challenges, some stores have balanced their physical presence with robust online platforms, capturing a share of the market drawn in by convenience and competitive pricing. The continued expansion of e-commerce will exert additional pressure on traditional bridal stores. Consumers' increasing propensity to shop online for wedding attire, drawn by the convenience and often lower prices, is likely to reduce foot traffic in brick-and-mortar locations. Nonetheless, there are opportunities for those willing to innovate. Bridal stores that invest in tailored, personalized in-store experiences and leverage digital tools like virtual try-ons may still capture niche markets. While the forecast revenue drop presents a significant hurdle, adaptive and customer-centric approaches could enable some bridal stores to weather the storm. Over the next five years, revenue will drop at a CAGR of 1.0% to reach an estimated $2.7 billion in 2029.

According to the 2020 UNIDOMO questionnaire, Portugal clearly led the list of European countries with the highest divorce rate per 100 marriages. With 91.5 divorces the Portuguese Republic led the list, followed by Spain and Luxembourg. All three countries boast a significantly higher share than the other European countries, each reporting a divorce rate over 80 divorces.

A different way to look at Portugal

While Portugal clearly has the most divorces per 100 marriages, looking at divorce rates per 1.000 inhabitants in other European countries alters the picture of the country as one unsettled by significant numbers of divorces. With nearly 1.7 divorces per 1,000 inhabitants Portugal has roughly the same divorce rate as Germany and the Netherlands. Interesting is furthermore that although marriages in Portugal tend to result in divorce lightly more often as in Luxembourg (80.3%), the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg experienced a 0.6 point higher divorce rate.

What about the rest of the World?

While compared with Latin American countries like Guatemala or Peru, ranked among the countries with the lowest divorce rates in the world, Luxembourg’s divorce rate seems excessive. However, when compared with divorce rates (per 1.000 inhabitants) of countries like the United States (2.7) or China (3.5) divorce rates from Luxembourg and Europe are not out of the ordinary.

NOTE: For information on confidentiality protection, nonsampling error, and definitions, see https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial/rdo/technical-documentation/CD116_TechnicalDocumentation.pdf..Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census..NOTE: "Families" consist of a householder and one or more other people related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. They do not include same-sex married couples even if the marriage was performed in a state issuing marriage certificates for same-sex couples. Responses of "same-sex spouse" were edited during processing to "unmarried partner."

Abstract

The 1990 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) is a nationally representative survey conducted by the Federal Office of Statistics with the aim of gathering reliable information on fertility, family planning, infant and child mortality, maternal care, vaccination status, breastfeeding, and nutrition. Data collection took place two years after implementation of the National Policy on Population and addresses issues raised by that policy.

Fieldwork for the NDHS was conducted in two phases: from April to July 1990 in the southern states and from July to October 1990 in the northern states. Interviewers collected information on the reproductive histories of 8,781 women age 15-49 years and on the health of their 8,113 children under the age of five years.

OBJECTIVES

The Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) is a national sample survey of women of reproductive age designed to collect data on socioeconomic characteristics, marriage patterns, history of child bearing, breastfeeding, use of contraception, immunisation of children, accessibility to health and family planning services, treatment of children during episodes of illness, and the nutritional status of children.

The primary objectives of the NDHS are:

(i) To collect data for the evaluation of family planning and health programmes; (ii) To assess the demographic situation in Nigeria; and (iii) To support dissemination and utilisation of the results in planning and managing family planning and health programmes.

MAIN RESULTS

According to the NDHS, fertility remains high in Nigeria; at current fertility levels, Nigerian women will have an average of 6 children by the end of their reproductive years. The total fertility rate may actually be higher than 6.0, due to underestimation of births. In a 1981/82 survey, the total fertility rate was estimated to be 5.9 children per woman.

One reason for the high level of fertility is that use of contraception is limited. Only 6 percent of married women currently use a contraceptive method (3.5 percent use a modem method, and 2.5 percent use a traditional method). These levels, while low, reflect an increase over the past decade: ten years ago just 1 percent of Nigerian women were using a modem family planning method. Periodic abstinence (rhythm method), the pill, IUD, and injection are the most popular methods among married couples: each is used by about 1 percent of currently married women. Knowledge of contraception remains low, with less than half of all women age 15-49 knowing of any method.

Certain groups of women are far more likely to use contraception than others. For example, urban women are four times more likely to be using a contraceptive method (15 percent) than rural women (4 percent). Women in the Southwest, those with more education, and those with five or more children are also more likely to be using contraception.

Levels of fertility and contraceptive use are not likely to change until there is a drop in desired family size and until the idea of reproductive choice is more widely accepted. At present, the average ideal family size is essentially the same as the total fertility rate: six children per woman. Thus, the vast majority of births are wanted. The desire for childbearing is strong: half of women with five children say that they want to have another child.

Another factor leading to high fertility is the early age at marriage and childbearing in Nigeria. Half of all women are married by age 17 and half have become mothers by age 20. More than a quarter of teenagers (women age 15-19 years) either are pregnant or already have children.

National statistics mask dramatic variations in fertility and family planning between urban and rural areas, among different regions of the country, and by women's educational attainment. Women who are from urban areas or live in the South and those who are better educated want and have fewer children than other women and are more likely to know of and use modem contraception. For example, women in the South are likely to marry and begin childbearing several years later than women in the North. In the North, women continue to follow the traditional pattern and marry early, at a median age of 15, while in the South, women are marrying at a median age of 19 or 20. Teenagers in the North have births at twice the rate of those in the South: 20 births per 1130 women age 15-19 in the North compared to 10 birdas per 100 women in the South. Nearly half of teens in the North have already begun childbearing, versus 14 percent in South. This results in substantially lower total fertility rates in the South: women in the South have, on average, one child less than women in the North (5.5 versus 6.6).

The survey also provides information related to maternal and child health. The data indicate that nearly 1 in 5 children dies before their fifth birthday. Of every 1,000 babies born, 87 die during their first year of life (infant mortality rate). There has been little improvement in infant and child mortality during the past 15 years. Mortality is higher in rural than urban areas and higher in the North than in the South. Undemutrition may be a factor contributing to childhood mortality levels: NDHS data show that 43 percent of the children under five are chronically undemourished. These problems are more severe in rural areas and in the North.

Preventive and curative health services have yet to reach many women and children. Mothers receive no antenatal care for one-third of births and over 60 percent of all babies arc born at home. Only one-third of births are assisted by doctors, trained nurses or midwives. A third of the infants are never vaccinated, and only 30 percent are fully immunised against childhood diseases. When they are ill, most young children go untreated. For example, only about one-third of children with diarrhoea were given oral rehydration therapy.

Women and children living in rural areas and in the North are much less likely than others to benefit from health services. Almost four times as many births in the North are unassisted as in the South, and only one-third as many children complete their polio and DPT vaccinations. Programmes to educate women about the need for antenatal care, immunisation, and proper treatment for sick children should perhaps be aimed at mothers in these areas,

Mothers everywhere need to learn about the proper time to introduce various supplementary foods to breastfeeding babies. Nearly all babies are breastfed, however, almost all breastfeeding infants are given water, formula, or other supplements within the first two months of life, which both jeopardises their nutritional status and increases the risk of infection.

Geographic coverage

The 1990 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) is a nationally representative survey. The sample was constructed so as to provide national estimates as well as estimates for the four Ministry of Health regions.

Analysis unit

• Household
• Women age 15-49
• Children under five years

Universe

The population covered by the 1990 DHS is defined as the universe of all women age 15-49 in Nigeria.

Kind of data

Sample survey data

Sampling procedure

The NDHS Sample was drawn from the National Master Sample for the 1987/1992 National Integrated Survey of Households (NISH) programme being implemented by the Federal Office of Statistics (FOS). NISH, as part of the United Nations National Household Survey Capability Programme, is a multi- subject household-based survey system.

The NISH master sample was created in 1986 on the basis of the 1973 census enumeration areas (EA). Within each state, EAs were stratified into three sectors (urban, semiurban, and rural), from which an initial selection of approximately 8C0 EAs was made from each state. EAs were selected at this stage with equal probability within sectors. A quick count of households was conducted in each of the selected EAs, and a final selection of over 4,000 EAs was made over the entire country, with probability proportional to size. This constitutes the NISH master sample from which the NDHS EAs were subsampled.

Prior to the NDHS selection of EAs, the urban and semiurban sectors of NISH were combined into one category, while the rural retained the NISH classification. A sample of about 10,000 households in 299 EAs was designed with twofold oversampling of the urban stratum, yielding 132 urban EAs and 167 rural EAs. The sample was constructed so as to provide national estimates as well as estimates for the four Ministry of Health regions.

The NDHS conducted its own EA identification and listing operation; a new listing of housing units and households was compiled in each of the selected 299 EAs. For each EA, a list of the names of the head of households was constructed, from which a systematic sample of 34 households was selected to be interviewed. A fixed number of 34 households per EA was taken in order to have better control of the sample size (given the variability in EA size of the NISH sample). Thus, the NDHS sample is a weighted sample, maintaining the twofold over sampling of the urban sector.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face

Research instrument

Three questionnaires were used in the main fieldwork for the NDHS: a) the household questionnaire, b) the individual questionnaire, and c) the service availability questionnaire. The first two questionnaires were adapted from the DHS model B questionnaire, which was designed for use in countries with low contraceptive prevalence. The questionnaires were developed in English, and then translated into six of the major Nigerian languages: Efik, Hausa, Igbo, Kanuri,

In 2023, 6.5 marriages were registered per 1,000 inhabitants in Russia, compared to 4.7 divorces per 1,000 population. The marriage rate in the country saw an increase compared to the previous year. In 2011, 9.2 marriages were registered per 1,000 Russians, which was the highest number recorded over the period under consideration. What do marriage and divorce rates mean? The crude marriage rate refers to the number of marriages per one thousand population, according to the United Nations Population Division. In total, around 946,000 marriages were registered in Russia in 2023, while the country’s population was estimated at 146.3 million in that year. Another indicator relevant to Russian demographics is the crude divorce rate, which is the number of divorces recorded in a year per 1,000 population, as defined by the United Nations Population Division. In total, nearly 684,000 divorces were registered in Russia in 2023. What do Russians think of marriage? In every age category, most Russians believed that being married and living in a family was most preferable in the society. However, the share of family and marriage supporters was the lowest among 18-to-24-year-olds, measuring at 60 percent. Both for men and women, the ideal age to get married was considered in a person’s twenties.

The typical American picture of a family with 2.5 kids might not be as relevant as it once was: In 2023, there was an average of 1.94 children under 18 per family in the United States. This is a decrease from 2.33 children under 18 per family in 1960.

Familial structure in the United States

If there’s one thing the United States is known for, it’s diversity. Whether this is diversity in ethnicity, culture, or family structure, there is something for everyone in the U.S. Two-parent households in the U.S. are declining, and the number of families with no children are increasing. The number of families with children has stayed more or less constant since 2000.

Adoptions in the U.S.

Families in the U.S. don’t necessarily consist of parents and their own biological children. In 2021, around 35,940 children were adopted by married couples, and 13,307 children were adopted by single women.

The Europe Engagement Rings Market size will be USD 11,038.27 Million by the end of 2028, growing at a CAGR of 6.65% between 2023 and 2030.

What is Driving Engagement Rings Industry Growth?

Rise in the marriage rates in various countries of Europe

Population across European region on an average is rising due to various factors. The population of Europe was estimated to have increased by approximately 0.4 percent in 2020, reaching an overall total of approximately 747 million people. Growing advances in technology with each coming year has affected humanity in many ways. One of these has been the ability to save lives and create a better medical treatment for all. As the number of people in region is increasing, it directly affects the rate of marriages. Every year more and more couples are tying knots in order to have their family.

The choice of getting married is extremely personal. Most of them gets married due to love and companionship but some do it for children someday, convenience or finances. Due to rising disposable income, spending capacity in marriages has been increased substantially.

Wearing a ring as a visible sign of the wearer’s married status is a tradition. Hence, wearing of wedding rings has become a standardized aspect of the married state. Depending on the culture, a wedding ring is typically worn on the base of the left or right ring finger. However, every culture follows the concept of exchanging rings during wedding as a symbol of commitment.

Market Dynamics of Engagement Rings Market

Key Drivers for Engagement Rings Market

Engagement Rituals' Cultural and Social Significance: Demand is consistently driven by the long-standing custom of exchanging engagement rings, particularly in Western and emerging economies. These purchases, which are frequently motivated by emotions and regarded as significant life events, strengthen the ring's symbolic significance in society. Growing disposable incomes and spending on luxury: Economic expansion and rising disposable income are driving up demand for luxury goods like engagement rings, especially among urban millennials and Gen Z. Nowadays, buyers are prepared to spend money on larger diamonds, bespoke designs, or high-end metals.

Key Restraints for Engagement Rings Market

In mature regions, there is high price sensitivity and market saturation: The market is getting close to saturation in areas like North America and Europe where marriage rates are falling or leveling off. Furthermore, traditional pricing strategies are facing downward pressure due to consumers' growing value consciousness.

Environmental and Ethical Issues with Diamond Mining: Conventional engagement rings are coming under increased scrutiny due to growing awareness of the ethical and environmental consequences of diamond mining. Some consumer segments have become hesitant as a result, particularly younger consumers looking for more environmentally friendly options.

Key Trends for Engagement Rings Market

Increase in Demand for Lab-Grown Diamonds: Lab-grown diamonds are becoming more and more popular as an affordable and environmentally friendly substitute for stones that are mined. They appeal to both budget-conscious and environmentally conscious customers because they provide the same physical and visual qualities at reduced costs. Individualization and Preferences for Custom Designs: Unique, personalized engagement rings that express their individuality and sense of style are becoming more and more popular. Demand for custom-made rings, alternative gemstones like moissanite or sapphires, and unusual ring settings is being driven by this trend. Introduction of Engagement Rings

An engagement ring is a ring worn by someone who is engaged to be married. When a partner proposes marriage or when a marriage proposal is approved, they give their prospective partner an engagement ring. It is a formal agreement to marry in the future.

Numerous couples want to personalize their engagement rings so that they can incorporate personal symbolism. For instance, many engagement rings will have Celtic motifs or engraved inscriptions to better express the couple's connection. Other couples would opt for birthstone engagement rings rather than diamond engagement rings. There are several approaches to capturing the beauty and elegance of an engagement ...

The 1990 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) is a nationally representative survey conducted by the Federal Office of Statistics with the aim of gathering reliable information on fertility, family planning, infant and child mortality, maternal care, vaccination status, breastfeeding, and nutrition. Data collection took place two years after implementation of the National Policy on Population and addresses issues raised by that policy. Fieldwork for the NDHS was conducted in two phases: from April to July 1990 in the southern states and from July to October 1990 in the northern states. Interviewers collected information on the reproductive histories of 8,781 women age 15-49 years and on the health of their 8,113 children under the age of five years. OBJECTIVES The Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) is a national sample survey of women of reproductive age designed to collect data on socioeconomic characteristics, marriage patterns, history of child bearing, breastfeeding, use of contraception, immunisation of children, accessibility to health and family planning services, treatment of children during episodes of illness, and the nutritional status of children. The primary objectives of the NDHS are: (i) To collect data for the evaluation of family planning and health programmes; (ii) To assess the demographic situation in Nigeria; and (iii) To support dissemination and utilisation of the results in planning and managing family planning and health programmes. MAIN RESULTS According to the NDHS, fertility remains high in Nigeria; at current fertility levels, Nigerian women will have an average of 6 children by the end of their reproductive years. The total fertility rate may actually be higher than 6.0, due to underestimation of births. In a 1981/82 survey, the total fertility rate was estimated to be 5.9 children per woman. One reason for the high level of fertility is that use of contraception is limited. Only 6 percent of married women currently use a contraceptive method (3.5 percent use a modem method, and 2.5 percent use a traditional method). These levels, while low, reflect an increase over the past decade: ten years ago just 1 percent of Nigerian women were using a modem family planning method. Periodic abstinence (rhythm method), the pill, IUD, and injection are the most popular methods among married couples: each is used by about 1 percent of currently married women. Knowledge of contraception remains low, with less than half of all women age 15-49 knowing of any method. Certain groups of women are far more likely to use contraception than others. For example, urban women are four times more likely to be using a contraceptive method (15 percent) than rural women (4 percent). Women in the Southwest, those with more education, and those with five or more children are also more likely to be using contraception. Levels of fertility and contraceptive use are not likely to change until there is a drop in desired family size and until the idea of reproductive choice is more widely accepted. At present, the average ideal family size is essentially the same as the total fertility rate: six children per woman. Thus, the vast majority of births are wanted. The desire for childbearing is strong: half of women with five children say that they want to have another child. Another factor leading to high fertility is the early age at marriage and childbearing in Nigeria. Half of all women are married by age 17 and half have become mothers by age 20. More than a quarter of teenagers (women age 15-19 years) either are pregnant or already have children. National statistics mask dramatic variations in fertility and family planning between urban and rural areas, among different regions of the country, and by women's educational attainment. Women who are from urban areas or live in the South and those who are better educated want and have fewer children than other women and are more likely to know of and use modem contraception. For example, women in the South are likely to marry and begin childbearing several years later than women in the North. In the North, women continue to follow the traditional pattern and marry early, at a median age of 15, while in the South, women are marrying at a median age of 19 or 20. Teenagers in the North have births at twice the rate of those in the South: 20 births per 1130 women age 15-19 in the North compared to 10 birdas per 100 women in the South. Nearly half of teens in the North have already begun childbearing, versus 14 percent in South. This results in substantially lower total fertility rates in the South: women in the South have, on average, one child less than women in the North (5.5 versus 6.6). The survey also provides information related to maternal and child health. The data indicate that nearly 1 in 5 children dies before their fifth birthday. Of every 1,000 babies born, 87 die during their first year of life (infant mortality rate). There has been little improvement in infant and child mortality during the past 15 years. Mortality is higher in rural than urban areas and higher in the North than in the South. Undemutrition may be a factor contributing to childhood mortality levels: NDHS data show that 43 percent of the children under five are chronically undemourished. These problems are more severe in rural areas and in the North. Preventive and curative health services have yet to reach many women and children. Mothers receive no antenatal care for one-third of births and over 60 percent of all babies arc born at home. Only one-third of births are assisted by doctors, trained nurses or midwives. A third of the infants are never vaccinated, and only 30 percent are fully immunised against childhood diseases. When they are ill, most young children go untreated. For example, only about one-third of children with diarrhoea were given oral rehydration therapy. Women and children living in rural areas and in the North are much less likely than others to benefit from health services. Almost four times as many births in the North are unassisted as in the South, and only one-third as many children complete their polio and DPT vaccinations. Programmes to educate women about the need for antenatal care, immunisation, and proper treatment for sick children should perhaps be aimed at mothers in these areas, Mothers everywhere need to learn about the proper time to introduce various supplementary foods to breastfeeding babies. Nearly all babies are breastfed, however, almost all breastfeeding infants are given water, formula, or other supplements within the first two months of life, which both jeopardises their nutritional status and increases the risk of infection.