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Family planning rises among married women nationwideApr 28, 2009 (Asia Pulse Data Source via COMTEX) -- MANILA, April 28 (PNA) -- Family planning by either modern or traditional methods became more prevalent among married women nationwide after 1998. Latest available preliminary data from National Statistics Office (NSO) show contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) among such women rose 4.2 percentage points to 50.7 percent in 2008 from 46.5 percent 10 years earlier. CPR is the proportion of married women using any family planning method. Last year's CPR is also higher than the 48.9 percent rate in 2003. NSO sourced such data from the nationwide 2008 National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) it conducted from August 7 to September 27 last year. This survey covered almost 14,000 households and 14,000 women aged 15 to 49 years. United States Agency for International Development provided funds for some of the 2008 NDHS' preparation and processing. Among modern family planning methods, data show proportion of married women using birth control pills increased to 15.7 percent in 2008 from 13.2 percent in 2003. Practicing the lactational amenorrhea method likewise rose to 0.4 percent from 0.3 percent then. In contast, proportion of married women subjected to female sterilization declined to 9.2 percent last year from 10.5 percent in 2003. During this reference period, such women also used less of IUD (3.7 percent from 4.1 percent) and injectibles (2.6 prcent from 3.1 percent). Other modern family planning practices then included male condom use, male sterilization and the ovulation method. Among traditonal methods, NSO reported the withdrawal method increased to 9.8 percent in 2008 from 8.2 percent in 2003. Observance of periodic abstinence, a practice also known as the calendar method, declined during the reference period to 6.4 percent from 6.7 percent, however. NSO said its 2008 NDHS is the ninth in a series of demographic surveys it undertook at five-year intervals. |