India's Population Is Stabilising As Total Rate of Fertility Decreases Across States

India's population is stabilising according to the Fifth National Family Health Survey as the total rate of fertility has declined across a majority of the states.

Of the 17 states analyzed in the NFHS-5 data, except for Manipur, Bihar, and Meghalaya, all the other states have a TFR of 2.1 or less, which indicates that most states have achieved replacement level fertility.

‘Anaemia remains to be a big concern with Anaemia being much higher among women in comparison to men in all the states.’

The first set of conclusions from the fifth round of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS), conducted in 2019-20, were announced by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, on December 12th, four years after the last survey (NFHS-4, 2015-16).

According to the Population Foundation of India, known as PFI, India's population is stabilising, as the Total Fertility Rate has decreased across most states.

All 17 states have observed an increase in the use of modern contraceptives in family planning.

The proportion of women with unmet requirements for family planning who want to stop or delay childbearing but do not use contraception has declined in all states except Meghalaya and Andhra Pradesh.

Except for Manipur, all states have recorded an increase in users getting information on the side effects of prevailing contraceptive methods.

There is greater adoption of hygienic protection methods during the menstrual period by women in several states.

There have been some developments in women's empowerment related indicators. More women are able to partake in household decision-making in 9 states, while 30% more women now have bank accounts in Assam, Gujarat, Bihar, and West Bengal.

Among the concerns, PFI stated NFHS 5 data shows a decline in children's nutritional status under five years in several states. In Kerala, which is regarded to be an advanced and model state for others, the percentage of children under five years with stunting has increased to 23.4% as per NFHS 5 against 19.7% in NFHS 4.

Anaemia among women continues to be a big concern. Anaemia is much higher among women in comparison to men in all the states.

Female sterilization remains dominant as the modern way of contraceptives in states like Andhra Pradesh (98%), Karnataka (84%), Kerala (88%), Telangana (93%), Bihar (78%), and Maharashtra (77%).

Male engagement in family planning remains limited and disappointing, as seen by the low uptake of condoms and male sterilization across states.

Despite the efforts being made, it is disturbing to see the increase in child marriages in several states. Manipur (16.3% from 13.7% in 2015-16), Tripura (40.1% from 33.1% in 2015-16), and Assam (31.8% from 30.8% in 2015-16) recorded an increase in child marriages. States like Bihar (40.8%) and still West Bengal (41.6%) have a high prevalence of child marriages.

States like Andhra Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland, and Himachal Pradesh have also shown a rise in teenage pregnancies. Along with the increase in child marriage, Tripura recorded an increase in teenage pregnancy from 18.8% in 2015-16 to 21.9%.

PFI said It is very troubling to see the increment in average out-of-pocket expenditure per delivery in public health facilities in few states.

Compared to NFHS-4, OOPE has increased in several states - Mizoram (63%), Sikkim (109%), Bihar (60%), Manipur (40%) and Assam (42%).

While spousal violence has generally decreased in most states and UTs, it has seen an increase in five states: Assam, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Karnataka. Karnataka observed the largest increase in spousal violence, from 20.6% in NFHS 4 to 44.4% in NFHS 5. Sexual violence has risen in five states (Assam, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, and West Bengal).

The NFHS-5 depicts a severe disparity in access to the internet by men, in contrast to women in several states. For example, in Karnataka and Bihar, twice as many men have access to the internet as women. The only state where access to the internet among men (78.2%) and women (76.7%) is almost equal is Sikkim.

Population Foundation of India embraced the progress made on several health, fertility, and women's empowerment related indicators in NFHS 5. PFI said, "However, what warrants serious concern is that this information was recorded before the pandemic wreaked additional havoc on our health and lives."



Source: Medindia