Impact of contraception on the birth rate of Maharashtra
Dandekar, K.
Socio economic development and population control: 206-246
1988
Document Number: 368367
The impact of sterilization on the birth rate in Maharashtra is examined. For every 3.7% increase in the number of sterilized couples in Maharashtra, there is a fall of 1% in birth rate. Similarly, for every sterilization, 1.9 births are averted. The impact of community level variables, such as population size, availability of electricity, source of drinking water, schooling facilities, health infrastructure, etc., on contraceptive prevalence rate is assessed. The data do not show any significant relationship between the community variables and contraception. Either these development variables do not have any impact on family planning performance or the effect of rural development on fertility may be so small that it is not reflected in the analysis and may have been wiped out by the offer of incentives. There is a clear and strong positive relationship between the amount of incentives offered and number of sterilizations performed in the state. Given financial constraints, achieving reduction in fertility through welfare measures like female literacy, employment, increased per capita income, etc., is quite difficult and hence a good family planning programme with attractive incentives is perhaps a more feasible proposition.