Fertility and Family Planning in Mexico

Abstract

Mexico made family planning the constitutional right of all couples in 1974. In 1977 a governmental coordinating body was made responsible for getting family planning services to all couples in need of them and for reducing the growth rate to 2.5% annually by 1982 (possibly already achieved). 30% of Mexicos 9 million women of reproductive age were contraceptive users in 1976 and 40% in 1978; about 1/2 obtained their method from the government sponsored program. 42% of exposed women were using a contraceptive method in 1976 and 56% in 1978 with use of the most effective methods increasing concommitantly. The oral contraceptive was the most popular method in both years employed by almost 40% of contraceptive users. In 1978 sterilization was the 2nd most popular method accounting for almost 20% of contraceptive users (twice as many as in 1976). 700 thousand women had been sterilized by 1978 (7.5% of all married women of reproductive age) with almost 70% of the procedures performed by public sector agencies. Total fertility rate declined from 6.0 to 5.2 children per woman and crude birth rate fell from 42 to 38 per 1000 population between 1975 and 1978. 56% of women at risk said they wanted no more children in 1976 and 60% in 1978; 52% of these women were not using contraception in 1976 the proportion dropping to 38% in 1978. 34% of exposed women who wanted children were using contraception for spacing purposes in 1976 and 50% were doing so in 1978. Adding the potential demand for contraception for spacing purposes to the % of women not wanting further children but not practicing contraception 22% of all currently married women were still in need of contraception in 1978. By December 1978 an estimated 1.7 million active contraceptive users were enrolled in government sponsored family planning programs -- 19% of all married women of reproductive age. Another estimated 17% were obtaining modern contraceptive services and supplies through nongovernment channels and a further 4% were using rhythm withdrawal or folk methods. The government program served 36% of all users in 1976 and 48% in 1978. (Authord modified) (Summary in FRE)