The influence of the desired number of children on the use of modern contraceptives among the ever-married women in Tanzania: a case of Zanzibar

Although Family Planning Programmes started in Zanzibar about thirty years ago, the level of contraception is very low. Consequently, fertility is high resulting to a persistent increase of population in the Islands. Among the reasons advanced for the low level of contraception in Zanzibar is that women are not willing to use contraceptives because of the desire for many children. The aim of this study, therefore, was to examine the influence of the desired number of children on the use of modern contraceptives among the ever-married women of childbearing age. The study is based on the data collected in Zanzibar by interviewing the ever-married women in July and September, 1992. The results show that only 6.0 percent of the ever married women of childbearing age use modern contraceptive methods in Zanzibar. It is further found that a desire for many children has a significant influence on the use of modern contraceptives among the ever-married women. The overall desired mean number of children is 7.7. More than half (57.6%) of the respondents desire 7 or more children. Also it is noted that 84.8 percent of the respondents desire a greater number of children than the number of their living children, among which only 5.9 percent are current users of modern contraceptives. Education, occupation and place of residence have a Significant influence on the number of children desired and ultimately on the use of modern contraceptives who the interviewed ever-married women. Those with higher education desire a relatively smaller number of children and are using modern contraceptives more than those who have lower or no education. Similar results were obtained for the variables employment and type of residence. Those ever-married women engaged in agriculture and those residing in rural areas desire large number of children and are less using modern contraceptives than those in non in urban areas agricultural occupations and those respectively.