Assignment #3: Catholicism and Contraception by Nikhita Singh

Catholicism and Contraception

By Nikhita Singh

Given the Catholic Church’s prohibition against artificial birth control, it seems reasonable to assume that countries with large Catholic populations have higher birth rates. However, given a comparison between the following 9 countries—Brazil, Mexico, Philippines, Spain, Italy, Argentina, South Africa, Bangladesh, and United Kingdom—it appears that other factors may also be in play.

Starting from the most basic parameters, it is clear that there is not a direct correlation between the percentage of Catholic population and the contraceptive prevalence rate. Italy, with a 96% Catholic population, has a corresponding 63% contraceptive rate, suggesting that this prohibition on birth control is not always practiced. In fact, countries with much lower Catholic populations, like South America, have even lower contraceptive rates and higher birth rates.  Even within the six countries with high Catholic populations, there seems to be a wide range in the contraceptive prevalence rate and birth rate. Bangladesh has a birth rate of 22.07 (one of the highest in the set of 9 countries), but only a 3% Catholic population.

There appears to be some degree of correlation between physician density and contraceptive prevalence rate. Although there are exceptions, it seems as though higher physician densities correlate with higher contraceptive rates. This makes intuitive sense as more physician availability suggests better access to birth control methods and education regarding contraception. 

Another direct correlation seems to be apparent between the infant mortality rate and birth rate. Countries with high infant mortality rates such as Mexico, Brazil, South Africa, and Bangladesh, seem to have high birth rates, regardless of the Catholic population. If infants are more likely to die at birth, people tend to be more compelled to have children, in the hopes that some will survive. In places like the United Kingdom, Spain, and Italy, the resources allow for the infant mortality rate to be significantly lower. Consequently, people do not feel the need to have more children.

Another interesting parameter seems to be the poverty rate. This statistic refers to the percentage of the population that is under the poverty line. Countries with higher rates of poverty such as Mexico, South Africa, Bangladesh, and the Philippines tend to have higher birth rates than countries with lower poverty rates such as the United Kingdom, Spain, and Italy. In countries with higher poverty rates, people lack the financial resources to get medical care and purchase contraceptives, thereby increasing the birth rate. The youth unemployment rate also sheds light on this aspect. Youth between 15-24 are beginning to start their life in the work force at this age. Higher rates of unemployment suggest lack of resources and employment opportunities. Consequently, women are less empowered and become more focused on having and raising children.

Overall, it appears as though the hypothesis that higher rates of Catholicism lead to lower birth rates is inconsistent with the presented data. Many other factors, including poverty, education, employment, infant mortality rates, and access to medical attention seem to play a more significant role in determining the birth rate of a country. It is also apparent that the ban on artificial contraception by the Catholic Church is not always practiced, as shown by the high contraceptive prevalence rates amongst countries with very high Catholic populations. However, this is not to say that the Catholic religion has no impact. It merely shows that other factors play a significant role in changing the mindset of the population.