Colombia: 1973, 1985, 1993
Kenya: 1989, 1999
Mexico: 1960, 1970, 1990, 2000
United States: 1960, 1970, 1980, 1990
Vietnam: 1989, 1999

Colombia 1973-1985: Females, age 15+.
Colombia 1993: Females, age 12+.
Kenya 1989-1999: Females, age 12+.
Mexico 1960-2000: Females, age 12+.
United States 1960: Ever-married females, age 14+.
United States 1970: Females, age 14+.
United States 1980-1990: Females, age 15+.
Vietnam 1989-1999: Females, age 15 to 49.

CHBORN reports the number of children ever born to each woman of whom the question was asked. Women were to report all live births by all fathers, whether or not the child was still living.

CHBORN is comparable among all the samples, aside from the differing age and marital status universe of women to whom the question was addressed.

Census data on childbirths are often considered unreliable. Numerous samples, especially those for Kenya and Mexico, have unlikely or impossible numbers of births, but we have not attempted to correct those cases.

Users should be sensitive about the interpretation of the "unknown/not reported" category (code 98), which is large for some samples. In many cases, this may mean "0" births. It is also possible that unmarried persons could tend to be over-represented here.

The age universe changes from 15 and older in 1973 and 1985, to 12 and older in 1993.

The data are top-coded at 12+ births. Only ever-married women were asked this question in 1960, while all women were asked in 1970, 1980, and 1990.