Abstract

In the present study an attempt has been made to assess the role of family planning on fertility in Bihar through the Prevalence Model. If prevalence levels of both programme and non-programme contraception are known, this technique permits the estimation of gross natural and potential fertility for assessing births averted. With the emergence of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) to monitor family planning and health activities, this method becomes a useful tool. Of special, interest is the ability of the procedure to yield estimates by age group as well as by type of contraceptive method used.

In the study, the standard method-specific use-effectiveness levels weight observed use and prevalence level by method. Of the total births averted in Bihar by programme contraception 91.6 percent of births were averted by sterilization users in 1998-99 while the spacing methods users contributed to only 8.4 per cent of the birth prevention. The spacing methods need to be strengthening for the greater use. With regard to the births averted by non-programme contraception, the main contribution was made by the users of periodic abstinence of 42.8 percent, which was followed by the users of withdrawal of 33.3 percent and by the other methods of 23.9 percent. Of the total birth averted in Bihar, the contribution of programme contraception and non-programme contraception is about 93 percent and 7 percent in 1998-99. The programme contraception has the dominance role to control fertility however the non-programme contraception use should also be enhanced at the places where accessibility of programme contraception is poor.