Accelerating India's fertility decline: the role of temporary contraceptive methods.

This report summarizes findings from the 1992-93 National Family Health Survey of India, on fertility and contraceptive use. Fertility declined about 2 children/woman during 1972-92. The total fertility rate in 1992-93 was 3.4 children/woman. The average desired number of children among ever married women aged 13-49 years was 2.9 children/woman. Among the 41% of women who used contraception, 76% relied on sterilization. 27% of currently married women of reproductive age were sterilized, and 3% had husbands who were sterilized. 20% of women had an unmet need for family planning. 64% of all women currently using temporary methods wanted no more children. 11% desired more children after an interval of 2 or more years. 9% desired a stop to childbearing. Women not currently using contraception and intending to use in the future preferred sterilization (59%) or a temporary method (36%). Currently, 24% of contraceptive users rely on temporary methods. It is likely that meeting unmet need for temporary methods would substantially increase contraceptive use. Women who were not using any method averaged 2.7 children, while sterilized women had 4.0 children. Women who used traditional methods averaged 2.8 children. Women using temporary methods averaged 2.6 children. It is unlikely that sterilization would further reduce fertility much below levels already reached. Women sterilized before the age of 24 years tended to have modest sized families, but most women were sterilized at older ages. Currently, only 10% of married women use temporary methods, and only 6% use a modern method.