Factors affecting use of contraception in Matlab, Bangladesh

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between family planning, perceived availability of contraceptives, and sociodemographic factors in rural Bangladesh. Data are from the 1990 KAP survey in the Matlab treatment and comparison areas, using a sample of about 8500 married women of reproductive age. The contraceptive prevalence rate was 57% in the treatment area but substantially lower in the comparison area where mainly traditional methods of family planning were used by women who did not know of a source of supply of contraceptives. Education has no effect on contraceptive use in the treatment area but in the comparison area, modest but consistent differentials in use by level of education were found. Number of living children is the best predictor for contraceptive use, followed by number of living sons, and the attitude of respondents and their husbands towards family planning.

PIP: Recent studies have found universal knowledge of both modern and traditional methods of family planning methods, but the level of contraceptive use remains low in developing countries. Despite more than two decades of national-level family planning efforts in Bangladesh, the rate of contraceptive prevalence by the mid-1980s had reached only 20-25%. The low level of socioeconomic development, low women's status, a strong sex preference, high levels of infant and child mortality, and the lack of infrastructure leading to limited access to health and family planning services are the most important factors in the country's low rate of contraceptive use. In October 1977, the International Center for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh introduced the Family Planning Health Services project in Matlab, a rural administrative unit in Bangladesh, with the objectives of reducing fertility and child mortality. The project expanded in 1986 to offer broader services and collect data on child health. Findings are reported from a study of the relationship between family planning, perceived availability of contraceptives, and sociodemographic factors in rural Bangladesh. Data were used from the 1990 knowledge, attitude, and practices survey in the Matlab treatment and comparison areas. 4238 and 3708 reproductive-age married women were successfully interviewed in the treatment and comparison areas, respectively. 57% and 27% of respondents in the treatment and comparison areas, respectively, used contraception. Education was found to have no effect upon contraceptive use in the treatment area. In the comparison area, however, modest, yet consistent, differentials in use by level of education were observed. The number of living children is the best predictor for contraceptive use, followed by the number of living sons, and the attitude of respondents and their husbands toward family planning