Family Planning in Asia and the Pacific - International Council on ...

FigureTrends <strong>and</strong> patterns <strong>in</strong>contraceptive useTrends <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> contraceptiveprevalence rateCPR <strong>in</strong> Pen<strong>in</strong>sular Malaysia has levelled off at around 50per cent for <strong>the</strong> past three decades (see Figure 1). In termsof modern methods, CPR <strong>in</strong>creased slightly from 30.2 percent <strong>in</strong> 1994 to 34.4 per cent <strong>in</strong> 2004. As for non-modernmethods, <strong>the</strong>re was a decrease <strong>in</strong> use from 24.6 per cent <strong>in</strong>1994 to 17.5 per cent <strong>in</strong> 2004.Method mixAlthough <strong>the</strong> oral pill has always been <strong>the</strong> most popularcontraceptive method among Malaysians, <strong>the</strong>re has beena noticeable <strong>in</strong>crease <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> use of IUDs <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>jectablemethods s<strong>in</strong>ce 1984. The prevalence rate for femalesterilization decl<strong>in</strong>ed from 7.6 per cent <strong>in</strong> 1984 to 6.9 percent <strong>in</strong> 1994 <strong>and</strong> 6.6 per cent <strong>in</strong> 2004, but <strong>the</strong> prevalencerate for condoms has been more ra<strong>the</strong>r erratic (see Table1).Of <strong>the</strong> non-modern methods, <strong>the</strong> rhythm method has beenby far <strong>the</strong> most popular method, with a prevalence rate ofabout 9 per cent <strong>in</strong> both 1994 <strong>and</strong> 2004. The prevalencerate for o<strong>the</strong>r non-modern methods, which <strong>in</strong>clude herbalpreparations, has decl<strong>in</strong>ed substantially s<strong>in</strong>ce 1984. Thepractice of withdrawal to prevent a pregnancy had alsobecome less common between 1994 <strong>and</strong> 2004. In <strong>the</strong>same period, while <strong>the</strong>re had been slight <strong>in</strong>crease <strong>in</strong> maleparticipation <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> use of modern methods (condom),<strong>the</strong> participation of men <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> use of traditional methods(withdrawal) has decl<strong>in</strong>ed.Table 2 shows that a much higher proportion of <strong>the</strong> women<strong>in</strong> Sabah <strong>and</strong> Sarawak were us<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> pill <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>jection ascompared with <strong>the</strong>ir counterparts <strong>in</strong> Pen<strong>in</strong>sular Malaysia,but a lower proportion were rely<strong>in</strong>g on condoms <strong>and</strong>withdrawal. There was no significant difference <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>overall CPR across <strong>the</strong> three regions.Socio-economic differentials <strong>in</strong>contraceptive useTable 3 shows <strong>the</strong> differentials <strong>in</strong> CPR across states <strong>and</strong>sociodemographic variables. CPR for Malays has alwaysbeen lower than for <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r ma<strong>in</strong> ethnic groups, especially<strong>the</strong> Ch<strong>in</strong>ese. In 2004, CPR for modern methods was 28.2per cent for Malays, 45.6 per cent for Ch<strong>in</strong>ese <strong>and</strong> 32.2 percent for Indians.Wide variations <strong>in</strong> CPR can be observed across states.The east-coast states (where Malays make up more than90% of <strong>the</strong> population) had <strong>the</strong> lowest CPR. However, itshould be noted that <strong>the</strong>se states registered a substantial<strong>in</strong>crease <strong>in</strong> CPR between 1994 <strong>and</strong> 2004. On <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>rh<strong>and</strong>, CPR for modern methods decl<strong>in</strong>ed significantly <strong>in</strong>some nor<strong>the</strong>rn states dur<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> same period.Urbanization <strong>and</strong> education have had positive effects onCPR. However, <strong>the</strong> differentials <strong>in</strong> CPR between womenFigure1Contraceptive prevalence rate <strong>in</strong> Sabah <strong>and</strong> Sarawak57.86050.150.45044.437.44030.1302053.042.310SABAHSARAWAK01989 2004 1989 2004Any MethodModernSource: National Population <strong>and</strong> <strong>Family</strong> Development Board (NPFDB); Malaysian Population <strong>and</strong> <strong>Family</strong> Surveys <strong>in</strong> 1992 <strong>and</strong> 2004.246