Unmet need for contraception in Ecuador

Ecuador: Unmet need for contraception was 7.1% in 2018. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2018)
7.1%
World rank
54th
of 58 countries
All-time high
24.6%
in 1989
All-time low
7.1%
in 2018
Years of data
7
1987–2018

Unmet need for contraception in Ecuador, 1987–2018

5101520251987200220181987: 24.2 % of married women ages 15-491989: 24.6 % of married women ages 15-491994: 15.2 % of married women ages 15-491999: 10 % of married women ages 15-492004: 7.4 % of married women ages 15-492012: 8.8 % of married women ages 15-492018: 7.1 % of married women ages 15-49

Source: Household surveys, United Nations (UN), note: Household surveys, including Demographic and Health Surveys and Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys. Largely compiled by United Nations Population Division. Measured in % of married women ages 15-49.

Analysis

Ecuador recorded 7.1% for unmet need for contraception in 2018. That is the lowest value across all 7 years on record.

The figure is down 3.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unmet need for contraception in Ecuador peaked at 24.6% in 1989 and was at its lowest, 7.1%, in 2018.

Ecuador ranks 54th of 58 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

Unmet need for contraception in Ecuador, year by year

Annual values for Unmet need for contraception (% of married women ages 15-49) in Ecuador, 1987 to 2018.
Year % of married women ages 15-49 Change
1987 24.2%
1989 24.6% +1.7%
1994 15.2% -38.2%
1999 10.0% -34.2%
2004 7.4% -26.0%
2012 8.8% +18.9%
2018 7.1% -18.9%

Ecuador compared with similar countries

  • Ecuador's 7.1% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 11.2%, 64% of the median. (18 countries reporting)
  • Ecuador's 7.1% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 12.1%, 59% of the median. (13 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 24.4% 24.2% 24.6% 2
1990s 12.6% 10.0% 15.2% 2
2000s 7.4% 7.4% 7.4% 1
2010s 8.0% 7.1% 8.8% 2

Countries ranked near Ecuador

  1. 51 Thailand 8.9% compare
  2. 52 Peru 8.9% compare
  3. 53 United States of America 7.2% compare
  4. 55 Colombia 7.0% compare
  5. 55 Jamaica 7.0% compare
  6. 57 Korea, Democratic People's Republic of 6.6% compare

See the full ranking of 58 places →

More health data for Ecuador

All data for Ecuador →

Frequently asked questions

What is unmet need for contraception in Ecuador?
Unmet need for contraception in Ecuador was 7.1% in 2018, according to Household surveys, United Nations (UN), note: Household surveys, including Demographic and Health Surveys and Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys. Largely compiled by United Nations Population Division.
What is the highest unmet need for contraception recorded in Ecuador?
The highest recorded value was 24.6% in 1989.
What is the lowest unmet need for contraception recorded in Ecuador?
The lowest recorded value was 7.1% in 2018.
How does Ecuador rank for unmet need for contraception?
Ecuador ranks 54th out of 58 countries with data for 2018.
Is unmet need for contraception rising or falling in Ecuador?
Over the last ten years it is down 3.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Ecuador data come from?
The figures come from Household surveys, United Nations (UN), note: Household surveys, including Demographic and Health Surveys and Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys. Largely compiled by United Nations Population Division, published as part of Unmet need for contraception (% of married women ages 15-49). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Unmet need for contraception in Ecuador. Statizoid, drawing on Household surveys, United Nations (UN), note: Household surveys, including Demographic and Health Surveys and Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys. Largely compiled by United Nations Population Division. Retrieved 14 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/unmet-need-for-contraception-percent-of-married-women-ages-15-49/ecuador/

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About this data

Indicator
Unmet need for contraception (% of married women ages 15-49)
Unit
% of married women ages 15-49
Source
Household surveys, United Nations (UN), note: Household surveys, including Demographic and Health Surveys and Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys. Largely compiled by United Nations Population Division
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
58 places, 438 data points, 1984–2024
Last refreshed

Unmet need for contraception is the percentage of fertile, married women of reproductive age who do not want to become pregnant and are not using contraception.