Childfree in Madhya Pradesh: what the numbers say

The SRS 2023 estimate for Madhya Pradesh is 2.4 children per woman, above the all-India figure of 1.9.

In NFHS-5 (2019-21), women in Madhya Pradesh had about 2.0 children each and said they would have 1.6 if every birth were wanted.

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Key numbers

Children per woman (NFHS-5)

2.0

NFHS-5, 2019-21

Wanted children per woman (NFHS-5)

1.6

NFHS-5, 2019-21

Women 20-24 married before 18

23%

Rounded in source.

NFHS-5, 2019-21

Women 15-19 who have begun childbearing

5%

Rounded in source.

NFHS-5, 2019-21

Median age at first marriage, women 25-29

19.1

Years.

NFHS-5, 2019-21

SRS figures are annual estimates from the Sample Registration System. NFHS-5 figures come from a household survey carried out in 2019-21. They are different instruments and are not combined.

Wanted vs actual

0123 Wanted 1.6 Actual 2.0

Women in Madhya Pradesh have about 2.0 children; they say they would have 1.6 if every birth were wanted.

Wanted fertility is what women say they would have if every birth were wanted. It is a survey measure from NFHS-5, not a count of childfree people.

The trend, 2003 to 2023

Children per woman in Madhya Pradesh and all-India, SRS 2003 to 2023 Madhya Pradesh: 3.8 in 2003, 2.4 in 2023. All-India: 3.0 to 1.9. 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 20032008201320182023 2.4 1.9
Madhya Pradesh All-India SRS, children per woman

In Madhya Pradesh, children per woman fell from 3.8 in 2003 to 2.4 in 2023 (SRS). Across India it went from 3.0 to 1.9 over the same years. The highest value in the series is 3.8 (2003) and the lowest is 2.4 (2023).

Show the data table
Children per woman by year, SRS-based, Madhya Pradesh and all-India
YearMadhya PradeshAll-India
20033.83.0
20043.72.9
20053.62.9
20063.52.8
20073.42.7
20083.32.6
20093.32.6
20103.22.5
20113.12.4
20122.92.4
20132.92.3
20142.82.3
20152.82.3
20162.82.3
20172.72.2
20182.72.2
20192.72.1
20202.62.0
20212.62.0
20222.52.0
20232.41.9

Source: SRS 2023 via RBI Handbook of Statistics on Indian States, Table 6. Years missing from the official table are left out, not filled in.

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Sources

Percentages for this state come from the NFHS-5 state report, which publishes whole numbers (rounded in source).

How we use these sources