Contraceptive Use in Ghana

Book excerpt: Living Standards Measurement Study Working Paper No. 111. This study looks at the socioeconomic background of individual women and draws a correlation between them and the characteristics of their nearest source of family planning. The study assesses the importance of the socioeconomic background and the availability, price, and quality of services on contraceptive use and fertility. In 1969, Ghana was among the first Sub-Saharan African countries to adopt a population policy. Today, the average distance to a source of family planning is still about three miles. Population and fertility growth rates are high, and contraceptive use is low. The results suggest that raising levels of female schooling will also raise contraceptive use and lower female fertility, particularly in rural areas. However, the distances between facilities and related service centers remain a binding constraint on contraceptive use among those in the sample. The study also found no consistent effect on the demand for contraception or on fertility when measuring the quality of services.