Proximate determinants of fertility in Pakistan

Abstract

Using the Bongaarts model and data obtained in the Pakistan Fertility Survey (1974-75). Pakistan Contraceptive Prevalence Survey (1984-85), Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey (1990-91) and Population and Family Planning Indicators Survey (1993) attempts are made to decompose the total fertility rates. The fertility-inhibiting effect of lactational infecundability is the most significant in all four surveys followed by the effect of proportion of women married. Contraception is the least significant determinant of the total fertility rate in Pakistan. The index of marriage shows a significant decline between 1984-85 and 1993, and fertility-inhibiting effect of age at first marriage has increased from 22% to 33% during 1974-75 to 1990-91. The use rate of contraceptions has increased over time but slowly and it had a smaller effect on reducing fertility than other factors. There are comments by S. M. Ali on pp 740-742. -from Author