FERTILITY-CONTROL WITHOUT MODERNIZATION - EVIDENCE FROM A RURAL INDIAN COMMUNITY

Data from a survey of 349 fertile married women were used to examine the significance of cultural context for contraceptive behavior in a traditional Indian village. While sterilization was widely sanctioned, other methods were little known, favored or used. Relationships with modernization indicators also varied for different contraceptive techniques. Traditional respondents were as favorable towards sterilization as modern women, but modern women were significantly more likely to accept other methods. These results are attributed to differential government efforts which have placed almost exclusive emphasis upon sterilization. An expanded family planning program would evidently overcome the inertia of tradition concerning non-terminal contraception.