The Malaysian Fertility and Family Survey 1974 represents the first major national survey in Malaysia’s long-standing series of population, fertility and family studies. Conducted as part of the international World Fertility Survey programme, the study marked an important milestone in the development of population research in Malaysia and laid the foundation for future Malaysian Population and Family Survey series. The survey was undertaken through a major collaborative effort between the World Fertility Survey, the Department of Statistics Malaysia and the National Family Planning Board Malaysia. At that time, Malaysia was undergoing rapid socioeconomic transformation, while family planning and fertility behaviour were becoming increasingly important to national development planning. The survey was therefore designed to provide comprehensive, reliable and internationally comparable data on fertility, family formation, reproductive behaviour and family planning. As the first survey of its kind in Malaysia, the 1974 study provided a strong evidence base for understanding the demographic realities of Malaysian women and families. It also supported the country’s need to assess population trends, improve family planning programmes and strengthen the use of data in policy and programme development.
Objectives
The Malaysian Fertility and Family Survey 1974 had both international and national objectives. Internationally, it contributed to the World Fertility Survey’s broader aim of studying human fertility and the factors influencing fertility behaviour across countries. From Malaysia’s perspective, the survey was intended to provide population and reproductive health information that could support national planning, programme improvement and policy development.
Coverage and Respondents
The survey covered Peninsular Malaysia and focused on a representative sample of private households. The geographical coverage excluded Sabah and Sarawak, mainly due to differences in population distribution, sampling feasibility and fieldwork considerations at that time. The survey was household-based and involved screening households to identify eligible respondents. A total of 8,103 living quarters were selected. Screening was completed for 7,009 living quarters, and 7,770 households were identified. From these, 6,658 eligible respondents were interviewed.
The main individual respondents were ever-married women under the age of 50. The survey therefore focused strongly on women’s marriage, fertility, pregnancy, contraceptive knowledge and use, and family planning behaviour. This respondent focus reflected the core purpose of the World Fertility Survey, which was to understand fertility behaviour and reproductive decision-making among women. In addition, household information was collected to support demographic analysis, including the identification of household members and selected socio-economic background characteristics.
Key Outputs and Achievements
The major output of the survey was the publication of theMalaysian Fertility and Family Survey 1974: First Country Report, published in 1977. This report presented the first comprehensive national evidence on fertility and family planning behaviour in Malaysia, including demographic background, respondent profiles, nuptiality, fertility, fertility preferences, contraceptive knowledge and practice, and the relationship between contraception and fertility preferences. The survey made an important contribution to Malaysia’s population knowledge base by providing detailed information on marriage patterns, age at first marriage, childbearing behaviour, number and sex preferences for children, contraceptive awareness, contraceptive use, breastfeeding and pregnancy outcomes. It also helped establish benchmark indicators for measuring changes in fertility and family planning behaviour over time.
The 1974 survey was especially significant because it strengthened the link between research and programme planning. Its findings provided useful evidence for reviewing existing family planning efforts, identifying gaps in contraceptive knowledge and use, and improving the planning and delivery of population and family planning services. The Malaysian Fertility and Family Survey 1974 was a landmark study in Malaysia’s demographic research history. It established the foundation for long-term population and family data collection, strengthened Malaysia’s contribution to international fertility research, and positioned LPPKN’s early institutional role in supporting evidence-based family planning and population policy.
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