Although the focus of FP2020 is on modern methods, it is important to remember that many women globally are attempting to prevent pregnancies through the use of traditional methods. While these methods are often not very effective and result in unintended pregnancies, it is significant that the women using them are actively trying to avoid becoming pregnant.
Traditional use varies by country and region and over time, but in many countries women still rely on traditional methods. Figure 1 below shows an analysis for FP2020 countries in which the annual rate of change in traditional method use between the last two surveys was calculated [1]. In each country where there were two survey data points available, traditional use was compared across the two surveys. A negative value for a country means that traditional use decreased between the two surveys, whereas a positive value means that traditional use increased.
The results of this analysis show that, across the 68 countries examined here, 29 countries saw a decline in the use of traditional methods, while 29 countries had an increase in the use of these methods, and ten countries (in the center of the graph below) had annual rates of change of less than 0.1 percentage point, so can be categorized as showing minimal/no change. The largest annual increase was seen in Bangladesh (3.9 percentage points per year between a 2012-13 MICS and 2014 DHS) and the largest annual decrease was seen in Afghanistan (-2.2 percentage points per year between a 2007-8 National Survey and a 2010-11 MICS).
Eight countries (Afghanistan, Burundi, Central African Rep., Congo, Cameroon, Nepal, Rwanda, Timor-Leste) saw annual decreases of 1 percentage point or more, while eight countries (Bangladesh, Ghana, Iraq, Nigeria, Philippines, State of Palestine, Sao Tome and Principe, Uganda) saw annual increases of 1 percentage point or more. It is important to note that in some of the countries which experienced significant decreases in traditional use (such as Congo, Cameroon, Rwanda and Sri Lanka), traditional use still remains high overall.
Annex : Sources and Annual Rate of Change in Traditional Method Use, by FP2020 Country
Country Name |
Source 1 |
Source 2 |
Annual Rate of Change |
Afghanistan |
MICS 2010-11 |
National Survey 2007-08 from UN WCU 2015 |
-2.2 |
Bangladesh |
pDHS 2014 (Key
Indicators) |
MICS 2012-13 |
3.9 |
Benin |
MICS 2014 |
DHS 2011-12 |
0.1 |
Bhutan |
MICS 2010 |
National Survey 2000 from UN WCU 2015 |
0.0 |
Bolivia |
DHS 2008 |
DHS 2003 |
0.5 |
Burkina Faso |
PMA2020 2014 R1 |
DHS 2010 |
-0.3 |
Burundi |
PMS 2012 |
DHS 2010 |
-1.4 |
Cambodia |
pDHS 2014 (Key
Indicators) |
DHS 2010 |
0.5 |
Cameroon |
DHS 2011 |
MICS 2006 |
-1.0 |
Central African Rep. |
MICS 2010 |
MICS 2006 |
-1.2 |
Chad |
MICS 2010 |
DHS 2004 |
-0.2 |
Comoros |
DHS 2012 |
MICS 2000 |
0.0 |
Congo |
DHS 2011-12 |
DHS 2005 |
-1.1 |
Cote d'Ivoire |
DHS 2011-12 |
MICS 2006 |
0.4 |
Djibouti |
PAPFAM 2012 from UN WCU 2015 |
MICS 2006 |
-0.1 |
DPR Korea |
DPRK 2010 RHS from WCU 2015 |
RHS DPR Korea 2002 from UN WCU 2015 |
-0.6 |
DR Congo |
DHS 2013-14 |
MICS 2010 |
0.7 |
Egypt |
DHS 2014 |
DHS 2008 |
0.0 |
Eritrea |
DHS 2002 |
DHS 1995 |
0.0 |
Ethiopia |
PMA2020 2015 R3 |
PMA2020 2014 R2 |
0.4 |
Gambia |
DHS 2013 |
MICS 2010 |
-0.2 |
Ghana |
pDHS 2014 (Key
Indicators) |
PMA2020 2013 R1 |
3.4 |
Guinea |
DHS 2012 |
DHS 2005 |
-0.3 |
Guinea-Bissau |
MICS 2014 |
MICS 2010 |
0.1 |
Haiti |
DHS 2012 |
DHS 2005-06 |
-0.6 |
Honduras |
DHS 2011-12 |
DHS 2005-06 |
0.1 |
India |
(DLHS-3), 2007-08 |
DHS 2005-06 |
-0.6 |
Indonesia |
Susenas 2014 |
Susenas 2013 |
0.2 |
Iraq |
MICS 2011 |
MICS 2006 |
1.3 |
Kenya |
pDHS 2014 (Key
Indicators) |
DHS 2008-09 |
-0.2 |
Kyrgyz Rep. |
MICS 2014 |
DHS 2012 |
-0.3 |
Lao PDR |
MICS/DHS 2011-12 |
National Survey 2005 from UN WCU 2015 |
0.6 |
Lesotho |
pDHS 2014 (Key
Indicators) |
DHS 2009 |
-0.2 |
Liberia |
DHS 2013 |
DHS 2007 |
0.0 |
Country Name |
Source 1 |
Source 2 |
Annual Rate of Change |
Madagascar |
DHS 2008-09 |
DHS 2003-04 |
0.4 |
Malawi |
MICS 2014 |
DHS 2010 |
-0.7 |
Mali |
DHS 2012-13 |
DHS 2006 |
-0.1 |
Mauritania |
MICS 2011 |
MICS 2007 |
0.0 |
Mongolia |
MICS 2013 |
MICS 2010 |
0.6 |
Mozambique |
DHS 2011 |
MICS 2008 |
-0.4 |
Myanmar |
MICS 2009-10 |
National Survey 2007 from UN WCU 2015 |
-0.9 |
Nepal |
MICS 2014 |
DHS 2011 |
-1.3 |
Nicaragua |
DHS 2011-12 from UN WCU 2015 |
RHS 2006-07 |
0.2 |
Niger |
DHS 2012 |
DHS 2006 |
0.0 |
Nigeria |
DHS 2013 |
National Survey 2012 from UN WCU 2015 |
2.3 |
Pakistan |
DHS 2012-13 |
LSMS 2007-08 from UN WCU 2015 |
0.3 |
Papua New Guinea |
National Survey 2006 |
National Survey 1996-97 from UN WCU 2015 |
0.2 |
Philippines |
DHS 2013 |
National Survey 2011 from UN WCU 2015 |
2.7 |
Rwanda |
DHS 2010 |
DHS 2007-08 |
-1.0 |
São Tomé and PrÃncipe |
DHS 2008-09 |
MICS 2006 |
1.0 |
Senegal |
DHS 2014 |
DHS 2012-13 |
0.1 |
Sierra Leone |
DHS 2013 |
MICS 2010 |
0.0 |
Somalia |
MICS 2006 |
MICS 1999 |
0.0 |
South Africa |
DHS 2003 |
DHS 1998 |
-0.2 |
South Sudan |
SHHS2 2010 |
National Survey 2006 from UN WCU 2015 |
0.5 |
Sri Lanka |
DHS 2006-07 |
National Survey 2000 from UN WCU 2015 |
-0.7 |
State of Palestine |
MICS 2014 |
MICS 2010 |
1.2 |
Sudan |
MICS 2006 (SHHS) from WCU 2015 |
National Survey 1999 from UN WCU 2015 |
-0.2 |
Tajikistan |
DHS 2012 |
LSMS 2007 from UN WCU 2015 |
-0.7 |
Tanzania |
DHS 2010 |
DHS 2004-05 |
0.1 |
Timor-Leste |
DHS 2009-10 |
LSMS 2007 from UN WCU 2015 |
-1.1 |
Togo |
DHS 2013-14 |
MICS 2010 |
0.3 |
Uganda |
PMA2020 2015 R2 |
PMA2020 2014 R1 |
1.6 |
Uzbekistan |
MICS 2006 |
Health Examination Survey 2002 |
-0.5 |
Viet Nam |
National Survey 2013 from UN WCU 2015 |
National Survey 2012 from WCU 2015 |
0.5 |
Yemen |
pDHS 2013 |
MICS 2006 |
0.2 |
Zambia |
DHS 2013-14 |
DHS 2007 |
-0.6 |
Zimbabwe |
MICS 2014 |
DHS 2010-11 |
0.0 |
[1] Changes are calculated based on use of traditional/folk methods by women married/in union, in the two most recent comparable surveys (DHS, MICS, National, PMA2020) with data on traditional method use. Data for Solomon Islands and Western Sahara were unavailable. Values and sources are presented in the Annex below.