Family background and early life course transitions in Kinshasa

Drawing on a sample of approximately 2,400 women aged 13-49 surveyed in Kinshasa, Zaire, in 1990, this article examines the impact of aspects of a woman's family background on transitions to sexual activity marriage, and motherhood. We document how parental education, parental survival status, the number of siblings, and the type of place where a woman grew up are important for these transitions to adult roles. Our findings suggest that continued increases in educational levels should contribute to delays in these life course transitions and ultimately to some reductions infertility.