Only a quarter of India’s married women want another child
Only about onefourth of currently married women in India want to have another child, government data shows.
Union health ministry’s National Family Health Survey-4 (NFHS-4) shows 24% of the married women between 15-49 years want another child. A decade ago this number was as high as 68%.
When it comes to men the thought is no different, with just a little over one in four (27%) wanting another child. The percentage was 49 in the last survey.
Experts attribute the shift to a variety of reasons, including high cost involved in raising children these days, cut-throat competition at work, and late pregnancies that are fast becoming a norm.
More and more urban, educated couples are coming to doctors in late 30s or early 40s for their first child.
“I see a lot of couples these days who started trying for a baby late because they were either busy settling themselves, or found a partner late,” said Archana Dhawan Bajaj, Delhi-based gynecologist and obstetrician, who also specialises in IVF.
“There is a clear-cut shift in the trend; while earlier people would look forward to providing a sibling to their child, but now it is a categorical no.”
And the no is for a reason, say experts.
“It is a combination of several factors: the age at which marriage happens has increased, better education, awareness and changed aspirations,” says Poonam Muttreja, executive director, Population Foundation of India.
“It has become expensive to raise a child as parents want to send their child to the best school, provide best clothes, gadgets and overall a life of luxury,” she said.
NEW DELHI: