Dual Fertility Trends in Malaysia's Multiethnic Society

Between 1957 and 1977 the total fertility rate (TFR) in Peninsular Malaysia fell from 6.2 births per woman to 4.0 with all of the principal ethnic groups (Chinese Indians and MALAYS) Registering fertility declines. However in 1988 the TFR among the Chinese and Indians was 2.3 and 2.8 births per woman respectively but the rate among the Malays was 4.5 births per woman. The leveling of Malay fertility in the past 10 years is mainly due to a rise in fundamentalist Islamic principles coupled with pronatalist governmental policies. Data from the 1984-1985 Malaysian Population and Family Survey indicate that currently married Chinese and Indian women are considerably more likely than Malay women to practice contraception (64% and 66% vs. 41% respectively). Furthermore between 1974 and 1985 use of effective contraceptive methods increased among Chinese and Indian women but declined among Malays; by 1985 a higher proportion of Malay women were using traditional folk methods of contraception than were using the pill which had previously been the most popular method. (authors) (summaries in ENG FRE SPA)