Fertility regulation behaviour in Pakistan: Relevance of fertility control with demand for supply of children and costs of fertility regulations
Butt, M.-Sabihuddin; Chishi, S.
Health and Population Perspectives and Issues 14(3-4): 96-108
1991
ISSN/ISBN: 0253-6803 Document Number: 200342
The disappointment with the supply oriented family planning policies of the 60s and 70s gave way to adopt an integrated welfare oriented approach of family planning in the country during recent years. The purpose of present study was to empirically substantiate the rationale of the 'New Approach'. A modified version of the Easterlin and Crimmins (EC) model of the determinants of deliberate fertility regulation has been estimated through Logit regression. EC model hypothesizes that the deliberate use of fertility regulations may be explained throught the 'motivation' of couples to adopt deliberate fertility regulations and costs of use of these fertility regulation. The analysis showed that couple's 'motivation' to deliberate use of fertility regulation has been the main deriving factor, while costs of fertility regulations seemed to have no impact on the future intended use of deliberate fertility regulations by the Pakistani families. The main policy implication which emerges from this study, was that those families which do not have pre-conceived notion about their desired family size should be the 'Target-Group' of the 'New Approach' of family planning in the country. Present analysis also supports the view, that policies which promote 'Breast-Feeding' practices, extend 'Formal Education' of women and reduce 'Infant and Child Mortality Rate' would also reduce the need for direct investment for 'Family Planning' in the country.