CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA)--The recent survey conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that the fertility level in Northern Mindanao among women aged 15 to 49 years old is down to 2.1 children per woman in 2022 from 3.1 children in 2017.
"Fertility in Northern Mindanao has decreased substantially since 1993, when the total fertility rate was 4.8 children per woman, or roughly 5 children," said PSA-10 chief statistical specialist Sarah Balagbis, during the 2022 National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) regional dissemination forum, July 14.
Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM)-10 Regional Director Niel Aldrin Omega welcomed the decline in fertility level, noting that Northern Mindanao has achieved the replacement fertility level of two children, or the rate at which women give birth enough to sustain population levels.
"This is the level of fertility at which our population exactly replaces itself from one generation to the next," he said.
Omega also cited that the decline in the fertility rate has contributed to the slowing down of the population growth rate in the region from 1.68% in 2015 to 1.46% in 2020. "If this trend will continue, this will affect our population structure. We will experience a change age structure of our population or in the population age distribution, which could be beneficial for economic growth," he added.
The survey also revealed that the percentage of women currently using any modern method of family planning has increased from 45% in 2017 to 50% in 2022, while the percentage of those currently using any of the traditional methods remains the same for the 2017 and 2022 rounds of the NDHS at 9%. Also, the percentage of those who are not currently using any method of family planning decreased from 47% in 2017 to 42% in 2022.
"We all know that contraceptive use is a key determinant of fertility. We note that there is an increasing trend in the use of family planning contraceptives from 45% in 2017 to 50% in 2022, and we are actually meeting the desired or ideal increase of 1% annually," Omega noted.
Among the modern contraceptive methods, the pill is consistently the most commonly used, at 22%.
Meanwhile, the interval between births in Northern Mindanao is 41.9 months, a longer interval compared to what was reported in 2017. Such an interval is also considered the longest in the region since 1993, when the interval between two consecutive live births was 27.2 months.
Omega said this is another promising development because longer birth intervals can reduce the risk of maternal complications and promote a healthier pregnancy.
"We all know that a longer birth interval allows a woman's body to recover fully from the physical to regain her strength, replenish essential nutrients, and restore overall health before embarking on another pregnancy," he added.
Omega said the positive results shown by the 2022 NDHS are considered a breakthrough in programs on population, development, and family planning.
"Daghan ta nakita nga good news, positive gains which are actually reflective of the efforts that we have put in the previous years in addressing those concerns along fertility and family planning," he said.
(We have seen a lot of good news and positive gains, which are actually reflective of the efforts that we have put in in the previous years in addressing those concerns along with fertility and family planning). (APB/PIA-10)
