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Home » Topics » Fertility » Preceding birth interval (variable b11), birth spacing (Values of variable b11 (preceding birth interval) lower than 9 months)
Preceding birth interval (variable b11), birth spacing [message #16649] Tue, 12 February 2019 03:20
NZurlinden is currently offline  NZurlinden
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Registered: February 2019
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I want to calculate birth intervals between two births using the variable b11, indicating the preceding birth interval as the difference in months between the current birth and the previous birth.
If I understand correctly, this variable can only take values higher or equal than 9, corresponding to a minimum difference in months between the two births being 9 months. However, there are quite a lot of observations in many different survey rounds where b11 is lower than 9. In four survey waves (Malawi 2010, Senegal 2010 and 2011, Togo 1998), b11 even takes a negative number. If I understand correctly, I have to set all the values of b11 lower than 9 to missing, as they are an error in the data. Is this correct? Did someone encounter the same problem? Did you put these values to missing or what did you do with these values? Any hint will be very much appreciated!
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