The recent decline in fertility in Bangladesh froin a total fertility rate of 6.3 children per women in 1975 to 3.5 in 1995 (MHPC, 1978:73; BBS, 1996) has created interest among researchers, policy makers and academicians.

This study analyzes longitudinal data from Matlab, Bangladesh, to examine the impact of child mortality on subsequent contraceptive acceptance and continuation.

Bangladesh, the eighth most populous nation in the world is also one of the poorest with a per capita income of less than US200. Although it enjoys a tropical monsoon climate, it is a country with unique geographic peculiarities, which distinguish it from the rest of the sub-continent.

Bangladesh, the eighth most populous nation in the world is also one of the poorest with a per capita income of less than US200. Although it enjoys a tropical monsoon climate, it is a country with unique geographic peculiarities, which distinguish it from the rest of the sub-continent.

Despite an early and strong commitment by the government to the family planning programme, Bangladesh has achieved modest success in increasing the level of contraceptive prevalence. For instance, the use of contraception has increased from 12.7 percent in 1979 to over 25 percent in 1985 [1].