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Population Division of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs |
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Population Division of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs |
Information about contraceptive use is taken mainly from representative national sample surveys of women of reproductive age for dates 1970 and later. Data pertain to married couples, including, where possible, those in consensual unions. World and regional average levels of current contraceptive use were derived by the Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, based on the survey data shown and assumptions about patterns of use in countries for which no information was available. The date to which the world and regional averages pertain is approximately 1993. Further information about data sources and estimates is given in Levels and Trends of Contraceptive Use as Assessed in 1998 (United Nations publication, forthcoming). The number of married women of reproductive age was estimated for 1995 based on marital status data reported in censuses and surveys, and population statistics given in The Sex and Age Distribution of the World Population: The 1996 Revision (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.98.XIII.2), medium variant.
The more developed regions comprise all regions of Europe and Northern America, Australia/New Zealand and Japan. Less developed regions comprise all regions of Africa, Asia (excluding Japan), Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as the regions of Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia. The regional groupings employed correspond to those used in the 1996 Revision.
Because of rounding, the sum of levels of use of particular contraceptive methods does not necessarily equal the total level of use.
Two dots (..) indicate that data are not available or are not seperately reported.
Four dots (....) indicate that the number is less than 50,000.
A dash (-) indicates that the amount is nil or negligible.
| (1) | Contraceptive use among currently married women of reproductive age, including, where possible, those in concensual unions. |
| (2) | Represented by the number of currently married women or women in union aged 15-49. |
| (3) | Other methods requiring supplies or medical services, including injectables, diaphragms cervical caps and spermicides. |
| (4) | Including periodic abstinence or rhythm, withdrawal, douche, total sexual abstinence if practised for contraceptive reasons, folk methods and other methods not separately reported. |
| (5) | Excluding Japan. |
| (6) | For ever-married women. |
| (7) | Adjusted from source to exclude breastfeeding. |
| (8) | Excluding sterilization. |
| (9) | Preliminary or provisional. |
| (10) | Excluding prolonged abstinence: 17 per cent in Burkina Faso; 22 per cent in Togo. |
| (11) | Excluding Eritrea, Tigray, Asseb, Ogaden, parts of Gondar and Wello, and nomadic populations. |
| (12) | For all women of ages specified. |
| (13) | Trend may be affected by differences in the base population or geographical coverage at the two dates. |
| (14) | Including visiting unions. |
| (15) | Including norplant. |
| (16) | Including never-married women who have a child. |
| (17) | Households of nationals of the country. |
| (18) | For statistical purposes, the data for China do not include Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (Hong Kong SAR). |
| (19) | As of 1 July 1997, Hong Kong became a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China. |
| (20) | Excluding the Westbank. |
| (21) | Figures for methods do not add to the total because women using a combination of methods are shown under each method. |
| (22) | Including IUD. |
| (23) | Excluding areas containing roughly 15 per cent of the population. |
| (24) | Including female and male sterilization. |
| (25) | Excluding abstinence, douche and folk methods. |
| (26) | Including male sterilization. |
| (27) | Marriage cohorts of 1974 and 1977. |
| (28) | Flemish population. |
| (29) | Including some cases of sterilization for non-contraceptive reasons. |
| (30) | Women in first marriage. |
| (31) | Including 2 per cent practising condom and withdrawal. |
| (32) | For all sexually active women. |
| (33) | Used since last pregnancy (since marriage, if no pregnancy). |
| (34) | Women currently married or cohabiting who were born in 1945, 1950, 1955, 1960, 1965 or 1968. |
| (35) | Sample of husbands and wives married between 1970 and 1979. |
| (36) | Data pertaining to Great Britain. |
| (37) | Former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. |
Inquiries and comments shoud be addressed to the Director, Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations, New York, NY 10017, USA.
Tel: 1-212-963-3179; Fax: 1-212-963-2147/2638
United Nations publication, (ST/ESA/SER.A/175), Sales No. E.99.XIII.4, ISBN 92-1-151330-8 Copyright (C) United Nations 1999
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