In 1973 the Mexican government changed its official position on family planning from one of neurtality to one of support. Prior to that time, family planning activities had been limited to the commercial sector and two private programs. As a result of the new policy, all major official health programs began organizing family planning activities. While about the same number of couples were served by the private programs in 1976 as in 1973, the commercial sector grew at over 10 percent per year and official coverage expanded around fivefold. It is estimated that the proportion of eligible women protected by contraception doubled and that the birth rate fell from 43-44 in 1973 to 37-40 by the end of 1976.