Modernization, contraceptive use and ideal family size in Yemen

Vijayan Pillai, University of Texas at Arlington
Thankam S Sunil, University of Texas at San Antonio

The objective of this paper is to examine the role of modernization on two fertility-related variables, ideal family size and ever use of modern contraception in the Republic of Yemen. Modernization theory as well as Ryder’s cohort-historical model is used to investigate the change in fertility variables across cohorts. Data from Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) conducted in 1991 and 1997 in Yemen are used. It has been argued that in Islamic societies such as Yemen, the extent contraceptive use is more likely to be determined by the religious values than by external forces of change. However, our findings suggest that social context of contraceptive use in Yemen is not very dissimilar to the preconditions obtained in societies which have experienced improvements in contraceptive use during the stage of fertility decline. We have discussed in detail the policy implications of our findings.