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.

NORPLANT, an implant which when inserted in a woman's body prevents conception for five years if it is not removed, is to be introduced into the Indian family planning programme in selected centres. This has provoked much debate and not all are happy with this decision.

There is a plethora of information on the analyses of fertility differentials by various socio-economic factors.

Status literally means position in relation to others. The status enjoyed by women in any society is an index of the standard of its social organisation.

After Ritter and Hinkelmann, Kirk and his Colleagues Kirk also reported that in matings where the father is in-compatible with the mother with respect to the ABO groups, the children show a higher frequency of the Hp1 gene.

There is a plethora of information on the analyses of fertility differentials by various socio-economic factors.

Breast-feeding has its socioeconomic, psychological, biological and immunological aspects. Human milk is known to be an ideal, safe and complete food for infants and being available at a suitable temperature, it helps promote normal dental and facial development.

In recent years, fertility has become an important subject of inquiry for economists. The decision to have children and their number and timing involve trade-offs which constrain the purchase and consumption of durables and other household items vying for the family's scarce resources.

Shortcomings of contraceptives and of family planning delivery systems are major reasons for unwanted pregnancy and unsafe abortion in Third World countries.

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].