Open AccessRelationship of Infant-Child Mortality to Fertility: Some Theoretical and Empirical Considerations Relevant to Pakistan (Review Article)
Author(s) -
Iqbal Alam
Publication year - 1974
Publication title -
pakistan development review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.154
H-Index - 26
ISSN - 0030-9729
DOI - 10.30541/v13i4pp.470-480
Subject(s) - fertility , family planning , developing country , demographic transition , child mortality , birth rate , total fertility rate , birth control , developed country , antecedent (behavioral psychology) , demographic economics , development economics , economics , psychology , economic growth , population , sociology , demography , social psychology , research methodology
Of considerable interest to social scientists, particularlythe demogra¬phers, is the process of family limitation—a critical linkin the demographic transition from high to low fertility. The availableliterature identifies numerous macro socio-economic and culturalvariables found to be correlated with fertility behaviour [9]. However,little is known regarding the key motivational factors which, byimpinging upon individual couples, result in a reduction of family size.The advocates of family planning programmes claim that family limitationcan be achieved by providing couples with information aboutcontraception along with effective means of birth control. The criticsof current family planning programmes while recognising the importanceof accessibility of effective contraception in family limitation,however, strongly feel that the reduction in fertility of the developingcountries may not be achieved without substantial social, economic andcultural changes in those countries. These changes, among other things,are postulated to result in a substantial decline in levels ofmortality—a generally accepted antecedent condition for substantialdecline in fertility.