Questionnaire Text

Questionnaire form view entire document:  text  image

Only for married women (15-49 year of age)
[Questions 13 and 14 were asked of only married women age 15-49 years.]


13. How many children were ever born to ____?
(State all children live born by sex)


1. Living together

Son ____
Daughter ____

Questionnaire instructions view entire document:  text  image

Column 13: How many children were ever born alive____?
[Only for ever married women between the ages of 15 and 49 years]
1. Living together son ____ daughter ____
2. Living separately son ____ daughter ____
3. Dead son ____ daughter ____
4. Total son ____ daughter ____


Born live means -- children that give signs of live birth by crying or by some movement after the birth are known as live births. If children don't have any sign of live birth like crying or movement, sound, then this birth could not be a live birth. Still birth (abortion or end pregnancy) should not be counted; however all the live birth should be enumerated.

For all women ever married (marital status of codes 2 through 7 in column 11) and aged 15-49 years, it should be asked how many children (son/daughter) were ever born alive, and recorded in the form. The fertility-related questionnaire should be administered to concerned women only. The answer category obtained by asking men might be wrong.

To minimize the problem of undercounting all live birth children, the current status of children living together in the household, living separately, or dead should be asked and reported separately, and the total should also be written. For the purpose of enumeration, only the number of children delivered by concerned women should be mentioned. Children delivered by other women, like adopted sons or daughters, should not be included on her number of child born.

1. Sons and daughters living together: The number of sons and daughters living in the same household (with their mother) should be mentioned here. Usually unmarried and married sons and unmarried daughters live with her mother.

2. Sons and daughters living separately: The number of sons and daughters living separately, if they are not living in the same household or with her mother (migrants due to marriage or living outside for study), should be mentioned in this column. If any sons or daughters are living separately inside the country or outside the country, they should be enumerated as not living together with her mother.

3. Dead sons and daughters: The number of sons and daughters who died immediately after live birth or dies after some times. The number of sons and daughters should be mentioned separately. But still births should not be included.

4. Total sons and daughters: As mentioned above, among the total number of children born alive, the separate total of sons and daughters living together, living separately or dead should be mentioned separately. If separate totals and the grand total are not consistent (different), then ask the reason of difference and make corrected accordingly.

Note: While administering these questions, the sons and daughters dead after live birth should be asked in depth. However, the topic of dead sons and daughters is a very sensitive subject, so some may refuse to give information on dead sons and daughters. Some may have the concept that this information need not be reported. But for the purpose of fertility and mortality related study, this information is important. Especially the children dead immediately or after some time of live birth are considered to be under reported. For collecting information on fertility, special time should be allotted and the status of sons and daughters should be mentioned separately.