Table 4.6 Percent Distribution of Non-first Births in the Five Years Preceding the Survey by Number of Months
          Since Preceding Birth, According to Background Characteristics, Philippines 2003 
         (Birth Intervals)

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                                    Months since preceding birth              Number of    Median number
Background                     --------------------------------------------   non-first  of months since
characteristics                7-17   18-23   24-35   36-47     48+   Total      births  preceding birth
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Age

  15-19                        45.3    25.3    24.1     5.3     0.0   100.0          31             19.4
  20-29                        23.5    21.0    29.8    13.4    12.4   100.0       1,914             25.4
  30-39                        13.0    14.4    26.3    15.5    30.7   100.0       2,435             33.5
  40-49                         5.6     9.9    23.0    14.8    46.8   100.0         615             44.5

Birth order

  2-3                          20.0    18.0    24.1    13.4    24.5   100.0       2,649             28.5
  4-6                          11.3    13.8    29.6    15.9    29.4   100.0       1,598             33.4
  7+                           14.1    16.7    33.1    15.6    20.4   100.0         749             30.3

Sex of preceding birth

  Male                         16.8    15.8    26.6    14.9    25.8   100.0       2,596             30.9
  Female                       15.8    17.1    27.8    14.1    25.1   100.0       2,399             30.2

Survival of preceding birth

  Living                       15.4    16.3    27.6    14.6    26.1   100.0       4,790             30.9
  Dead                         37.3    20.2    18.5    13.0    11.0   100.0         206             20.9

Residence

  Urban                        19.1    15.1    24.1    13.8    27.9   100.0       2,344             30.8
  Rural                        13.9    17.6    29.9    15.2    23.4   100.0       2,652             30.4

Region

  National Capital Region      22.6    15.8    24.6    12.3    24.8   100.0         709             27.8
  Cordillera Admin Region      12.9    17.6    27.1    18.0    24.4   100.0          83             30.6
  I - Ilocos Region            13.9    18.5    26.5    11.8    29.3   100.0         204             28.8
  II - Cagayan Valley          14.6    13.5    26.3    12.6    33.0   100.0         148             34.5
  III - Central Luzon          15.5    12.9    25.4    15.9    30.2   100.0         475             34.1
  IVA - Calabarzon             17.8    13.5    22.7    16.7    29.3   100.0         543             32.6
  IVB - Mimaropa               13.4    15.7    33.6    18.5    18.9   100.0         185             30.5
  V - Bicol Region             11.5    23.0    30.8    12.7    22.0   100.0         338             28.9
  VI - Western Visayas         12.3    17.3    33.1    16.9    20.4   100.0         371             30.7
  VII - Central Visayas        16.5    20.0    24.0    14.9    24.5   100.0         397             30.3
  VIII - Eastern Visayas       15.2    18.6    30.6    16.6    19.0   100.0         282             27.9
  IX - Zamboanga Peninsula     13.7    12.2    27.1    16.1    30.8   100.0         209             32.9
  X - Northern Mindanao        12.4    14.3    25.1    13.0    35.1   100.0         218             34.7
  XI - Davao Peninsula         13.5    13.5    30.6    13.3    29.2   100.0         206             32.6
  XII - SOCCSKSARGEN           11.2    17.1    29.2    18.9    23.6   100.0         241             31.7
  ARMM                         19.8    18.0    26.6    11.3    24.2   100.0         153             30.3
  Caraga                       28.0    20.0    29.6     7.3    15.1   100.0         234             24.5

Education

  No education                 17.6    11.6    38.1    15.8    16.9   100.0         117             29.5
  Elementary                   12.3    15.7    30.5    15.3    26.3   100.0       1,709             32.1
  High school                  17.9    18.3    26.2    15.0    22.6   100.0       2,060             28.6
  College or higher            19.5    14.7    22.9    12.3    30.6   100.0       1,109             31.3

Wealth index quintile

  Lowest                       15.1    18.2    34.2    15.4    17.2   100.0       1,505             29.0
  Second                       16.3    16.8    28.5    14.2    24.3   100.0       1,180             29.4
  Middle                       18.5    17.7    21.9    13.5    28.4   100.0         942             31.1
  Fourth                       16.5    13.6    21.7    15.4    32.9   100.0         759             34.7
  Highest                      15.9    13.1    22.7    13.7    34.7   100.0         609             34.4

Total                          16.3    16.5    27.2    14.5    25.5   100.0       4,995             30.5

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Note:    First-order births are excluded. The interval for multiple births is the number of months
         since the preceding pregnancy that ended in a live birth

Source:  2003 National Demographic and Health Survey
         National Statistics Office & Department of Health

Page last updated:  September 11, 2006
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