Contraceptive use in South and South-East Asian region: assessment of sustainable development goal 3.7 through indicator 3.7.1.

This article evaluates progress on Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicator 3.7.1, which measures the proportion of women of reproductive age using modern contraception, across 11 South and South-East Asian countries from 1990 to 2017. Using Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data from 40 surveys, the study found that modern contraceptive coverage generally increased or remained stable but was below 50% in four countries and never reached 80% in any. A meta-analysis showed that higher levels of women's education were significantly associated with increased use of modern contraceptives, although primary education alone was often insufficient to raise coverage substantially. The findings suggest that improving women's education beyond the primary level, alongside tailored national policies, is important to advance family planning goals in this region by 2030.