Fertility control in the Philippines : the deterring forces

Abstract

Compared to some of its neighbouring countries, fertility has declined only slow]y in the Philippines in the last two decades, with a total fertility rate of about six children in the early 1970s to about four children in the early 1990s. The relatively slow fertility decline of the 1970s decelerated in the 1980s. This slow decline is largely due to the relatively small rise in age at marriage and the stagnation in the use of modem contraception in the 1980s after a continuous rise in the previous decade. In addition, traditional methods - calendar rhythm and withdrawal - have continued to remain important in overall contraceptive prevalence, and the use of contraceptive methods has been characterised by relatively high failure rates. Three interwoven sets of forces have shaped fertility control attitudes, accessibility and practice in the Philippines: culturalreligious proscriptions, the decline in government support to the family planning program and economic setbacks.