Share of women using contraceptives in El Salvador
El Salvador: Share of women using contraceptives was 53.6% in 2021. ▲ Rising
Share of women using contraceptives in El Salvador, 1975–2021
Source: Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of women ages 15-49.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of women using contraceptives in El Salvador is 53.6%, measured in 2021.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 26.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women using contraceptives in El Salvador peaked at 72.5% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 21.6%, in 1975.
El Salvador ranks 65th of 116 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 10 years of available data.
Share of women using contraceptives in El Salvador, year by year
| Year | % of women ages 15-49 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 21.6% | — |
| 1978 | 34.4% | +59.3% |
| 1985 | 47.3% | +37.5% |
| 1988 | 47.1% | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 53.3% | +13.2% |
| 1998 | 59.7% | +12.0% |
| 2003 | 67.3% | +12.7% |
| 2008 | 72.5% | +7.7% |
| 2014 | 71.8% | -0.9% |
| 2021 | 53.6% | -25.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 28.0% | 21.6% | 34.4% | 2 |
| 1980s | 47.2% | 47.1% | 47.3% | 2 |
| 1990s | 56.5% | 53.3% | 59.7% | 2 |
| 2000s | 69.9% | 67.3% | 72.5% | 2 |
| 2010s | 71.8% | 71.8% | 71.8% | 1 |
| 2020s | 53.6% | 53.6% | 53.6% | 1 |
Countries ranked near El Salvador
More gender data for El Salvador
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 1,446 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -1.44 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 5,040 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 5,040 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 0.8586 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 47,387 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 49,616 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 47,477 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 49,704 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 47,581 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of women using contraceptives in El Salvador?
- Share of women using contraceptives in El Salvador was 53.6% in 2021, according to Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of women using contraceptives recorded in El Salvador?
- The highest recorded value was 72.5% in 2008.
- What is the lowest share of women using contraceptives recorded in El Salvador?
- The lowest recorded value was 21.6% in 1975.
- How does El Salvador rank for share of women using contraceptives?
- El Salvador ranks 65th out of 116 countries with data for 2021.
- Is share of women using contraceptives rising or falling in El Salvador?
- Over the last ten years it is down 26.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this El Salvador data come from?
- The figures come from Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of women using contraceptives. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Contraceptive prevalence rate is the percentage of women who are practicing, or whose sexual partners are practicing, any form of contraception. It is usually measured for women ages 15-49 who are married or in union.