Patterns of Desired Fertility and Contraceptive Use in Kuwait

Abstract

This study examined ideal family size its determinants and the impact of motivation on contraceptive use in Kuwait. Data were obtained from a household survey conducted in 1994 among 615 currently married nonpregnant women aged younger than 50 years in 5 major governorates in Kuwait. Six variables (number of living children marriage age wifes employment educational status of husbands and wives ethnic background and desired fertility) explained 15% of the variance in ideal family size. Women desired about 5.3 children. Women who married before the age of 18 years desired about 1 more child than women who married at over 21 years. Bedouin women desired 5.6 children and non-Bedouin women desired 4.8 children. Illiterate women desired 6.3 children. Women without formal schooling desired about 5.0 children. Working women desired 4.9 children. Number of living children and ethnicity were statistically significantly associated with ideal family size. 41% of women did not desire another child. The proportion of women wanting to stop childbearing increased with the number of living children. Non-Bedouin women were more likely to desire a stop to childbearing. 67% had ever used contraception; 50% were current users. Current use was associated with husbands level of education and wifes employment. With controls for the 6 variables women who had the same or more children than their ideal were twice as likely to be current users as women who had not reached their ideal. Number of living children may be the most important factor in determining a stop to childbearing and the use of contraceptives.