There is provided a dispersion stabilizer for suspension polymerization comprising a vinyl alcohol polymer (A), wherein the vinyl alcohol polymer (A) has a terminal anionic group and has a saponification degree of 30 to 60 mol %, a viscosity average polymerization degree of 650 or less, and a proportion of polymer molecules having a molecular weight of 8000 or less as determined by gel permeation chromatography is 9.5% by mass or less. When a vinyl compound is suspension-polymerized using the dispersion stabilizer for suspension polymerization, its higher polymerization stability allows for providing particles having a uniform size with a less amount of coarse particles, even under the conditions favorable for unstable polymerization.