On the Prediction of Family Planning Practice in Pakistan: A Methodological Note

The high rate of population growth in the developing countries at the present time—due to a fall in the level of mortality while fertility maintains its high level—is threatening to absorb the benefits achieved by those countries through the process of development, and is adversely influencing the health and welfare of individual families. The approach adopted by most governments of developing countries to solve the population problem has been increasingly the incorporation of population objectives within their development plans, and the establishment of family planning programmes, or the support of family planning activities [1]. Such programmes and activities have concentrated mainly on providing family planning services to couples on a voluntary basis to prevent unwanted births [2]. As such, they have come under severe criticism on two accounts, (a) the objective they set for themselves of preventing unwanted births is not sufficient to reduce the birth rate to the desired level. Emphasis should be put on motivating couples to reduce their desired family size. And (b) the provision of services within family planning programmes has not been adequate, and needs improvement [3,4].