Determinants of Unintended Pregnancy Among Women in Ecuador

reproductive age grew from 34% in 1979 to 53% in 1989, and reached 57% in 1994.3 Despite the decrease in overall fertility and the increase in contraceptive prevalence, however, many women in Ecuador, where induced abortion is illegal, still experience unintended pregnancies. In fact, while the level of unintended pregnancy has fallen in every other Latin American country but Paraguay, it has risen markedly in Ecuador in recent years.4 For example, in Ecuador’s 1994 Encuesta Demográfica y de Salud Materna e Infantil, or ENDEMAIN (Demographic and Maternal-Child Health Survey), 36% of women in union reported that their most recent pregnancy (in the five years before the survey) was unintended5—19% who said their pregnancy had been unwanted (because they had not wanted any more children at the time of the pregnancy) and 16% who said the pregnancy was mistimed (because it occurred earlier than desired). Comparable proportions in the 1989 ENDEMAIN were 7% unwanted and 6% mistimed, respectively. 6