Unintended live birth versus abortion: What factors affect the choices of Vietnamese women and couples?

As the result of a rapid decline recently in fertility levels, Viet Nam has largely completed the transition to low fertility. The total fertility rate (TFR) estimated in the 1999 Census was 2.3 children per woman. Previous demographic surveys indicated TFRs of 4.0 in 1987 (Viet Nam Demographic and Health Survey - VNDHS-I), 3.3 for the period 1989-1993 Intercensal Demographic Survey (ICDS 1994), and 2.5 for 1996-1997 Viet Nam Demographic and Health Survey (VNDHS-II). As might be expected, the rapid fertility decline in Viet Nam reflects the significant growth of contraceptive use. VNDHS II data indicate that the all method contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) had reached 75 per cent by 1997 and the modern method rate 56 per cent.