Extraconjugal Determinants of Spousal Communication About Family Planning in Kenya

Prior researchers have examined the influence of spousal communication on fertility behavior without looking at what causes spouses to start talking about family planning. This study bridges this gap in the literature by examining the extraconjugal (social networks) factors that influence spouses to start talking to each other about family planning. Data from a study conducted in Kenya between 1997 and 1998 show that interspousal communication about family planning is initiated as a result of the operation of the various social network variables. Interacting with others (neighbors, friends, and relatives) appears to encourage the respondents to talk to their spouses about family planning, perhaps because it decreases their fears by giving them adequate background information to introduce the topic to their spouses.