The Plateau Effect of Egypt's Family Planning Program

Contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) is one of the most important indicators in evaluating the success of population policies and programs. In the last three decades, Egypt achieved a remarkable success in promoting contraception; the percent of women currently using any contraceptive method, over 15-year period from 1980 to 1995, has more than doubled; CPR increased from only 24 in 1980 to 47.9 in 1995. After 1995 CPR plateau with a slight increase from 56.1 in 2000 to 59.2 in 2005 and then to 60.3 in 2008. The main concern of this paper is to discuss this plateau effect of the family planning program in Egypt. After a successful period of contraceptive promotion came the results of the last Egypt Demographic and Health Surveys to show that plateau effect of the family planning program and to warn policy makers about this trend in contraceptive prevalence.