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India may have reached replacement-level fertility of 2.0, but women still face significant barriers to making free and informed decisions about their reproductive lives. These barriers contribute to what the report calls India’s “high fertility and low fertility duality.” | Photo Credit: RAMAKRISHNA G
A new report by the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) reveals that despite declining fertility rates in India — from nearly six children per woman in the 1960s to around two today — many women still struggle to achieve their desired family size. The report highlights barriers like financial constraints, housing limitations, job insecurity and inadequate childcare, alongside health issues, infertility and medical barriers as reasons. Additional factors include partner preferences, political concerns, climate worries, and lack of suitable partners.
The UNFPA’s 2025 State of World Population (SOWP) Report, The Real Fertility Crisis, urges a move away from fears of declining fertility towards addressing the gap between people’s actual and desired family size. SOWP 2025 emphasises that millions of individuals are unable to achieve their fertility goals — this, not overpopulation or underpopulation, is the real crisis. The key lies in empowering individuals with reproductive agency — the ability to make free, informed decisions about sex, contraception and family planning.
One in three adult Indians (36 per cent) face unintended pregnancies, while 30 per cent experience unfulfilled desire for having either more or fewer children. Notably, 23 per cent faced both. India may have reached replacement-level fertility of 2.0, many people, especially women, still face significant barriers to making free and informed decisions about their reproductive lives and significant disparities persist across regions and States.
These barriers contribute to what the report calls India’s “high fertility and low fertility duality.” States like Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh still have high fertility rates, while others, including Delhi, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, maintain below-replacement fertility levels. This divide reflects differences in economic opportunities, access to healthcare, education and gender and social norms.
When asked about the factors that led or are likely to lead them to have fewer children than they initially desired, Indian respondents cited a range of reasons.
Infertility or difficulty conceiving was mentioned by 13 per cent of respondents, while 14 per cent pointed to barriers to fertility or pregnancy-related medical care. Poor general health or chronic illness was cited by 15 per cent.
The most common reason — reported by 38 per cent of respondents — was financial limitations. Housing limitations, such as lack of space and high costs of rent or purchase, were identified by 22 per cent of respondents. About 18 per cent mentioned the lack of sufficient and quality childcare options, while 21 per cent cited unemployment or job insecurity as the key factor.
About 17 per cent of Indian respondents cited a change of heart — deciding they wanted fewer children — as a reason for having or planning to have fewer children. Meanwhile, 19 per cent said their partner’s preference for fewer children influenced their decision.
Concerns about political or social situations prompted 14 per cent of respondents to limit their family size, while 16 per cent mentioned worries about climate change or environmental degradation. Other factors included a lack of a suitable partner (12 per cent), insufficient involvement of their partner in housework and childcare (15 per cent), and pressure or coercion from a doctor or health worker (14 per cent).
“India has made significant progress in lowering fertility rates — from nearly five children per woman in 1970 to about two today — thanks to improved education and access to reproductive healthcare,” said Andrea M Wojnar, UNFPA India Representative, in a press statement. “This has led to major reductions in maternal mortality, meaning a million more mothers are alive today, raising children and building communities. Yet, deep inequalities persist across states, castes and income groups. The real demographic dividend comes when everyone has the freedom and means to make informed reproductive choices. India has a unique opportunity to show how reproductive rights and economic prosperity can advance together.”
India is now the world’s most populous nation, with nearly 1.5 billion people — a number expected to grow to about 1.7 billion before it begins falling, around 40 years from now. Behind these numbers are the stories of millions of couples who decided to start or expand their families, as well as the stories of women who had few choices about whether, when or how often they became pregnant, adds the report.
Published on June 12, 2025
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