The 2012-13 Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey was undertaken to provide current and reliable data on fertility and family planning, childhood mortality, maternal and child health, women’s and children’s nutritional status, women’s empowerment, domestic violence, and knowledge of HIV/AIDS. The survey was designed with the broad objective of providing policymakers with information to monitor and evaluate programmatic interventions based on empirical evidence.
The specific objectives of the survey are to:
• collect high-quality data on topics such as fertility levels and preferences, contraceptive use, maternal and child health, infant (and especially neonatal) mortality levels, awareness regarding HIV/AIDS, and other indicators related to the Millennium Development Goals and the country’s Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper
• investigate factors that affect maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality (i.e., antenatal, delivery, and postnatal care)
• provide information to address the evaluation needs of health and family planning programs for evidence-based planning
• provide guidelines to program managers and policymakers that will allow them to effectively plan and implement future interventions