Table 1 Distribution of women’s characteristics, and their association with the median time to second birth in DR Congo and Ethiopia

Fertility desired

0.001***

 < .001***

No more

4014(28.9)

34(33–34)

3897(38.5)

39(38–40)

Wanted

9191(66.2)

34(33–34)

5734(56.7)

45(43–46)

Undecided

679(4.9)

34(32–35)

483(4.8)

39(37–42)

Contraceptive use

0.289

 < .001***

Never

9180(66.1)

33(33–34)

5138(50.8)

36(35–37)

Formal

2192(15.8)

34(34–35)

2103(20.8)

48(46–50)

Current

2512(18.1)

35(34–35)

2873(28.4)

53(51–55)

Contraception/desire

 < .001***

 < .001***

Never/no-more

2574(18.5)

33(32–34)

1863(18.4)

36(35–37)

Never/want

6102(43.9)

33(33–34)

2996(29.6)

36(35–37)

Never/undecided

504(3.6)

34(32–36)

279(2.8)

36(34–39)

Former/no-more

651(4.7)

34(33–35)

881(8.7)

43(41–45)

Former/want

1443(10.4)

34(33–35)

1122(11.1)

54(51–58)

Former/undecided

98(0.7)

36(32–40)

100(1.0)

46(40–66)

Current/no-more

789(5.7)

35(33–36)

1153(11.4)

43(41–46)

Current/want

1646(11.9)

35(34–36)

1616(16.0)

65(60–70)

Current/undecided

77(0.6)

30(26–34)

104(1.0)

44(38–53)

Ethnicity++

 < .001***

 < .001***

Bakongo Nod and Sud

1131(8.2)

39(37–41)

Bas-Kasai et Kwilu-Kwngo

2195(15.8)

35(34–36)

Cuvette central

1378(9.9)

34(33–35)

Ubangi et Itimbiri

1712(12.3)

33(32–34)

Uele Lac Albert

1255(9.0)

33(32–35)

Basele-K, Man. et Kivu

2265(16.3)

32(32–33)

Kasai, Katanga, Tanganika

3690(26.6)

32(32–33)

Lunda/others

247(1.8)

37(34–39)

Amhara

2189(21.7)

59(57–61)

Oromo

2352(23.3)

39(37–40)

Tigrie

1189(11.8)

50(48–53)

Affar

708(7.0)

32(30–34)

Somalie

1014(10.0)

28(28–30)

Guragie/others

2651(26.2)

41(40–42)

Residence

 < .001***

 < .001***

Urban

4471(32.2)

36(35–37)

2694(26.6)

64(61–68)

Rural

9413(67.8)

33(32–33)

7420(73.4)

38(37–38)

Religion+

0.102

 < .001***

Christianity

13,236(95.6)

34(33–34)

5654(55.9)

49(48–50)

Islam

225(1.6)

34(30–36)

4328(42.8)

35(34–35)

Traditionalist/other

386(2.8)

33(31–34)

132(1.3)

35(33–40)

Age at FB

 < .001***

 < .001***

 < 20

8417(60.6)

34(33–34)

6336(62.6)

40(39–41)

20–24

4247(30.6)

33(33–34)

2904(28.7)

44(43–46)

 ≥ 25

1220(8.8)

37(35–38)

874(8.6)

53(47–61)

Wealth index

 < .001***

 < .001***

Low

5316(38.3)

33(33–34)

4088(40.4)

35(35–36)

Middle

4658(33.5)

33(32–33)

2287(22.6)

40(39–41)

High

3910(28.2)

36(35–37)

3739(37.0)

57(54–59)

Education

 < .001***

 < .001***

No education

2952(21.3)

33(33–34)

6097(60.3)

36(36–37)

Primary

5863(42.2)

33(32–33)

2688(26.6)

53(51–56)

Secondary

4835(34.8)

35(34–36)

856(8.5)

87(72–105)

Higher

234(1.7)

47(38–52)

473(4.7)

111(82–144)

Employment+

0.107

 < .001***

Not working

3231(23.3)

34(33–35)

6491(64.2)

39(38–40)

Working

10,616(76.5)

34(33–34)

3623(35.8)

47(46–48)

Marital at FB

 < .001***

 < .001***

Never married

793(5.7)

70(60–86)

120(1.2)

na

Married before FB

11,673(84.1)

33(33–33)

9254(91.5)

41(41–42)

Married after FB

1418(10.2)

35(34–36)

740(7.3)

40(38–43)

FB sex

0.628

0.029*

Male

6959(50.1)

34(33–34)

5259(52.0)

42(41–43)

Female

6925(49.9)

34(33–34)

4855(48.0)

41(40–43)

FB survival

0.491

0.017*

Dead

951(6.8)

30(29–32)

503(5.0)

34(32–38)

Alive

12,933(93.2)

34(33–34)

9611(95.0)

42(41–43)

Total

13,884

34(33–34)

10,114

42(41–42)