Evaluation of the Impact of Family Planning Programs on

This article evaluates the fertility impact of family planning program by using prevalence model in Iran. Prevalence model, which introduced by John Bongaarts, estimates potential fertility and the number of births averted by program and non-program sources by using population and acceptor based data. The difference between potential fertility and observed fertility is related to contraception. The greater the differences between potential and observed fertility, the higher the impact of family planning program on fertility. The study uses the Base Line Survey-2001 (BLS-2001) data, collected by Statistical Center of Iran (SCI) and UNFPA-Iran in selected districts of Bushehr (Bushehr and Kangan Districts), Golestan (Gonbadkavoos and Minoodasht Districts), Kurdistan (Marivan and Divandareh Districts), Sistan & Bluchestan (Zahedan and Zabol Districts) and Tehran provinces (Islamshahr District). The results of the study indicate that Marivan and Zahedan districts had the high and low reduction rates in TFR and CBR, respectively. The findings also, show that the high reduction in ASFR belongs to age groups 30-34 in Marivan, 35-39 in Islamshahr, Gonbadkavoos and Bushehr, 40-44 in Zabol, Divandareh and Kangan districts and 45-49 in Zahedan and Minoodasht districts. In terms of each method contributions in reducing fertility, results show that the highest contribution of program contraceptives in preventing births in different districts are female sterilization in Bushehr, Divandareh and Islamshahr, and pill in other districts.