Fertility and family planning in rural Korea

Abstract

In December 1961, the government of the Republic of Korea adopted a programme of family planning as part of its public health services. In 1962 a pilot research project was begun, under university auspices, with the object of demonstrating and assessing what can be achieved through intensive family planning education and services. Wondang Myun near Seoul, with a rural population of 9,000 in seven villages, was chosen for the study. A baseline survey covering attitudes and practices related to family planning was made of the population under study, as well as of a similar population in the control area of Kimpo Myun. This report outlines the design, the programme of education and services, and some of the preliminary results of the study. After eighteen months of the programme, acceptance of birth control measures increased fourfold among the married women in the fertile age range. Acceptance was highest among the 25–39 age group, and among high-parity women. Economic considerations were foremost among the reasons given for adopting family planning. Among the traditional methods offered, the condom was the favoured method of choice, indicating that husbands were taking the initiative in contraceptive practice. A decline in the crude birth index was observed; whether the decline was due more to contraceptive practice or to abortion, at least an increase is reflected in the effective desire for family limitation. The high failure rate among Users should be investigated further. Continued effort is needed to provide more information and detailed instruction to users, and to develop social circumstances that support the practice of family planning. Along with an effort to achieve more effective use of traditional methods, other methods, including intra-uterine devices, deserve trial.

The field study on which these observations are based was supported by a grant of The Population Council of New York to Yonsei University College of Medicine. Grateful acknowledgment is also made to Miss Kathleen Shafer, who assisted in the preparation of the manuscript.

The field study on which these observations are based was supported by a grant of The Population Council of New York to Yonsei University College of Medicine. Grateful acknowledgment is also made to Miss Kathleen Shafer, who assisted in the preparation of the manuscript.

Notes

The field study on which these observations are based was supported by a grant of The Population Council of New York to Yonsei University College of Medicine. Grateful acknowledgment is also made to Miss Kathleen Shafer, who assisted in the preparation of the manuscript.