Contraceptive Use: Socioeconomic Correlates and Method Choices in Rural Bangladesh

This article investigates socioeconomic correlates of contraceptive use and method choice in rural Bangladesh. To meet the objectives of the study, the authors used nationally representative 2004 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey data. The findings indicate that contraceptive prevalence rate among currently married nonpregnant women was 61%. The prevalence of modern methods was 49%. Oral pill and periodic abstinence were the most preferred modern and traditional methods, respectively. Both bivariate and multivariate analyses reveal that women's age, number of living children, having a male child, women's education, religion, NGO membership, and place of region are important determinants of contraceptive use and method choices. Findings suggest that discussion between husband and wife on family planning has the most single significant effect on both current contraceptive use (odds ratio [OR] = 4.45; confidence interval [CI] = 3.95-5.01) and modern method preference (OR = 1.57; CI = 1.28-1.93). The doorstep delivery service of modern methods should be strengthened to further increase effective family planning that is required to reduce the total fertility rate in Bangladesh.