Fertility Preferences and Behaviour: A Case Study of Two Villages in the Punjab, Pakistan

While substantial fertility decline has started to take place in other countries of the south Asian region Pakistan has shown only a slight decline in the prevailing high fertility rates. Several demographers, economists and sociologists have emphasised the role of demand for children as an important source of change in the reproductive behaviour of individuals [Bulatao (1981); Pullum (1983); Bulatao and Lee (1983); Pritchett (1994)]. With regard to Pakistan many social scientists believe that demand for children is still high which is keeping the fertility levels high, that is couples prefer to have more children. It is thus imperative to have an insight into the fertility preferences maintained by the people which are considered to have an important bearing on the fertility outcomes and contraceptive use behaviour.