Has the Navrongo Project in Northern Ghana been successful in altering fertility preferences?

Using linked data from panel surveys conducted in the Kassena-Nankana district of Northern Ghana in 1995 and 2002 as part of the Community Health and Family Planning (CHFP) project, the author compares reproductive behaviour against prior fertility preferences and shows the transition of women from wanting to not wanting more children. The acceptance of smaller family sizes (one to three children) and high proportions of women reporting no intention to have more children in the future reflect the fact that the combination of mobilizing community volunteerism and retraining and redeploying nurses to village-based locations results in a change in reproductive behaviour. Implications for policy are discussed. Bibliogr., notes, sum.. [Journal abstract]