Overview

• India’s total fertility rate declined to 1.9 births per woman in 2025, dipping below the replacement threshold of 2.1, according to UNFPA.
• A UNFPA–YouGov survey finds that 36% of Indian adults experienced unintended pregnancies while 30% report unfulfilled desires for more or fewer children.
• Nearly 40% of respondents cited financial limitations as the primary barrier to parenthood, with job insecurity, housing shortages and childcare deficits also restricting reproductive choices.
• Fertility rates exceed replacement levels in Bihar (3.0 births), Meghalaya (2.9) and Uttar Pradesh (2.7) while falling below 2.1 in 31 states and union territories.
• An estimated 27.5 million couples face infertility amid limited public-sector services and high private-care costs concentrated in urban centres.