Revisiting Fertility Regulation in Tunisia

Background: In this paper we revisit fertility regulation in Tunisia. As marriage is the exclusive acknowledged childbearing context, we reconsider fertility analysis in Tunisia by examining family influence through the sequence: woman’s marriage age, post-marriage delay in the first use of contraception, and past and current contraceptive use. Methods Using data from the 2001 PAP-FAM Tunisian survey, we estimate duration and probability models of these birth control decisions. Results The significant effects of covariates are found to arise and vanish as women progress in their lifecycle and along changes in the family planning policies. Family links and socio-cultural environment appear to greatly shape fertility regulation. Conclusion This calls for family planning policies that address more the extended families.