Abstract

The developmental use of contraceptives over the past five decade (1940 - 1988) has been studied among 1218 married Palestinian women residing in the West Bank. Nearly two-thirds (61.5) of the women in this study reported using contraceptives. Modern types of contraceptives (pills and intra-uterine device) were used by 45.7 of the women; traditional methods (rhythm, withdrawal and breast feeding) accounted for 12.2; sterilization constituted 2.3; and the social methods (husband’s absence, wildwood, divorce) were reported by 1.3 of the sample. Barrier contraceptives (condom, cap, sponge and diaphragm) were not reported, however, by any of the women. A strong relationship was found between the social values and the type of contraceptives employed by women (only a negligible percentage resorted to sterilization for birth control). Educated women used contraceptives more than their uneducated counterparts. Moreover, regional differences between urban and rural users are quite substantial. However, these differences can be attributed to economic and educational variances rather than real regional ones