The Decline of Fertility in Malta: The Role of Family Planning

This paper examines the role that family planning played in the decline of fertility in Malta. In 1993 the authors carried out a survey of family planning, similar to one carried out by one the authors in 1971. The analysis of these two surveys suggests that the practice of family planning has not increased significantly in this period. However, there has been a sharp change in the type of method used. More specifically, there has been a shift away from traditional methods (such as coitus interruptus) to more efficient methods (such as the contraceptive pill). There are now a range of affordable methods of contraception available in Malta. Regression techniques are used to model the choice of contraceptive method. The main aim of the empirical analysis is to establish what characteristics are associated with the use of efficient methods of contraception.