Fertility regulation behavior in Pakistan: demand for children, supply of children and cost of fertility regulation
Shaista Alam; Butt, M.S.; Zahid Iqbal
South Asian Anthropologist 6(1): 33-40
2006
Document Number: 377440
The present study has analysed empirically the rationale of a 'new approach' to family planning, through explaining the current, past and future intended use of deliberate fertility regulations by Pakistani fecund married women. For this, a modified version of the Easterlin and Crimmin's model-formulated by Ahmed (1987) was utilized and estimated through logit regressions. The result indicates the desired demand for children emerged as main driving force in explaining deliberate use of fertility regulation by married Pakistani women. As for variables related to the potential supply of children, it is found that extended birth intervals and duration of breast feeding and higher rate of infant and child mortality reduce the probability of use of deliberate fertility regulation for all types of user. Among the socio-economic variables, education of the mother as well as of her spouse is significant corresponding to the current and past users but surpassingly insignificant in the case of would be users. It is interesting to note that respondent's work status does not significantly influence the family planning behaviour. The main policy implication which emerged from this study is that those families which do not have preconceived notion about their desired family size and have information to use but never used any contraception should be the 'target-group' of 'new approach' of family planning, in the country. Present analysis also supports the view that policies, which promote breast feeding practices, extended formal education of women and reduced infant and child mortality rate would reduce the need for direct investment for family planning in the country.