ADOLESCENT CONTRACEPTIVE USE AND ITS DETERMINANTS IN BANGLADESH - EVIDENCE FROM BANGLADESH FERTILITY SURVEY 1989

This study is concerned with contraceptive use among the currently mar ried adolescents in Bangladesh utilizing the 1989 Bangladesh Fertility Survey (BFS) data. The study analyzes the factors affecting the curre nt use of contraception among the adolescents through bivariate and mu ltivariate logistic regression analysis. The results indicate that alt hough adolescents have almost universal knowledge about contraceptive methods, only 15 percent are currently using any method of contracepti on. The corresponding figures for the adults and for the nation as a w hole are 34.4 percent and 31.4 percent, respectively. Among the indivi dual methods currently used by the adolescents, the pill appears as th e most popular method, followed by safe period. A substantial proporti on of the adolescents were found to rely on the traditional methods of contraception. Among the socio-economic variables (as revealed by the logistic regression analysis), respondents' education, participation in the family planning decision, visit by family planning workers, reg ion of residence, husband's occupation and possession of electricity i n the household appear as the most significant factors determining the current use of contraception among the adolescents.