Nepal 1996: results from the family health survey
Studies in family planning 29(3): 329-333
1998
ISSN/ISBN: 0039-3665 PMID: 9925499 Document Number: 522114
This report presents selected findings from the 1996 Nepal Family Health Survey among 8429 women aged 15-49 years. Fertility declined to 4.6 children/woman during 1993-96. Fertility was 4.8 in rural areas, 2.9 in urban areas, 5.0 among uneducated women, and 2.5 among women with a secondary or higher education. The mean ideal number of children among ever-married women was 2.7 among women aged 15-19 years and women with no children. Ideals peaked at 3.5 and 3.6 children/woman, respectively, among women aged 40-44 years and those with over 6 children. Contraceptive prevalence was 26.0% for modern methods; 26.5% in rural areas, 50.1% in urban areas, and 91.5% among women with secondary or higher education. Prevalence peaked at 42.7% among women aged 35-39 years and 39.6% among women with 3 or more children. 14.1% obtained supplies from private sources. Knowledge of at least 1 method was universal. Among nonusers, 22.8% intended to use within the year, 28.7% intended to use later, and 31.3% did not intend to use. Among previous users, 5.7% intended to use within the year, and 3.8% intended to use later. 15.7% of currently married nonusers were wary of side effects, 15.3% desired additional children, and 18.5% were menopausal. 56.5% of married women were nonusers. 16.6% of singles and 22.5% of women in unions used contraceptives. The median duration of breast feeding was 31 months. Infant mortality during 1991-96 stood at 79. The mean number of children ever born was 3.41. 11.2% of children aged under 3 years were acutely moderately malnourished; 48.4% were moderately chronically malnourished.