Taking Exception. Reduced mortality leads to population growth: an inconvenient truth
Shelton, J.D.
Global Health Science and Practice 2(2): 135-138
2014
ISSN/ISBN: 2169-575X PMID: 25276571 DOI: 10.9745/ghsp-d-14-00062Document Number: 580131
Reduced mortality has been the predominant cause of the marked global population growth over the last 3/4 of a century. While improved child survival increases motivation to reduce fertility, it comes too little and too late to forestall substantial population growth. And, beyond motivation, couples need effective means to control their fertility. It is an inconvenient truth that reducing child mortality contributes considerably to the population growth destined to compromise the quality of life of many, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Vigorous child survival programming is of course imperative. Wide access to voluntary family planning can help mitigate that growth and provide many other benefits.