Unmet need for contraception in Vietnam: who needs what and when

The Vietnam 1988 survey established the first national estimates for reproductive preferences and behavior. It created a unique baseline for levels and differentials, both for the marked differences between North and South, and for various social and demographic categories. It also provided the first national data for program guidance, including information on unmet need. Unmet need for contraception has been extensively documented for much of the developing world, but its structure is not yet well understood. This study differentiates unmet-need couples by several demographic characteristics, by time since the last birth, and by features identified through a computer search program. Past investigations have emphasized the per cent with unmet need within various population subgroups, but some of those subgroups are small, whereas the national family planning program must be oriented to subgroups with large absolute numbers of unmet need couples. Unmet-need couples are selective, whether by reference to the married population or by reference to other couples who also wish to avoid pregnancy but are using a method. Most unmet-need couples are younger than users, have fewer children and, especially, are closer to their last birth. Surprisingly, most have never used a contraceptive method before, even though Vietnam has had a vigorous family planning program and 49 per cent of all couples in the survey reported some experience with a modern contraceptive method. In terms of sheer numbers, those in need are distributed very widely throughout the country. The most disadvantaged segments of the population have both high percentages and large numbers in need, but the concentration of the national program upon a single contraceptive method restricts their options.