Male involvement in family planning: a case study spanning five generations of a south Indian family.

Family planning program planners often view men as gatekeepers who, if involved in reproductive decisionmaking, will thwart women's efforts to regulate fertility. This study examines fertility decisions made by five generations of one South Indian family and the factors affecting its sudden observed fertility decline. Male involvement in family planning and use of male methods are associated with the fertility decline and resulted in long-term benefits for women. Traditional notions about gender roles and family, in addition to economic concerns, shaped fertility decisionmaking. Individual motivation rather than choice of methods was more important for positive male participation in family planning.