2025 State of World Population Report — “The Real Fertility Crisis”

Current Context : The UNFPA’s 2025 State of World Population Report, titled “The Real Fertility Crisis,” highlights that many Indians cannot have the number of children they want due to financial and social barriers.

ABOUT THE REPORT

• Unintended Pregnancies: Affects 36% of adult Indians; 30% experience unmet desires for more or fewer children.
• Barriers to Reproductive Autonomy:
  • Financial constraints (40%), job insecurity (21%), housing and childcare shortages.
  • Gender norms force unequal caregiving duties.
• Fertility Rates:
  • National TFR at replacement level (2.0), but high in states like Bihar and UP; below replacement in Kerala and Delhi.
• Adolescent Fertility: 1 per 1,000 women aged 15–19, higher than regional peers.
• Modern Challenges: Loneliness, relationship dynamics, and social stigma impede family planning.