Gender Preference's Influence on Contraceptive Use and Fertility in India: Insights from NFHS Data

Mou Jana, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)

Background: Parental gender preference in India, particularly for sons, impacts contraceptive adoption and fertility rates. Rural areas exhibit strong son preference, correlating with lower contraceptive use and higher fertility. This research assesses gender preference's impact on contraceptive prevalence and fertility trends across regions and time in India. Data and Methodology: National Family Health Survey data is analyzed using the Arnold Method for contraceptive use and Bongaarts' model for fertility determinants. Results: Adjusting for gender preference shows increased modern contraceptive use in most states, notably Bihar (4.55%) and Rajasthan (6.46%), while marginal decreases occur in Manipur (0.91%) and Meghalaya (1.01%). Variances between actual and adjusted percentages are notable in Gujarat (8.31%), Punjab (7.78%), and Haryana (7.11%). Bihar exhibits the highest actual Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of 2.983, significantly higher than the expected TFR of 2.694 without gender preference, while Sikkim's actual TFR is lower (1.048) than the expected TFR (0.975). Conclusion: Gender preference significantly influences contraceptive use and fertility rates in India. Addressing son preference could improve contraceptive uptake and fertility outcomes. Future research should explore targeted interventions to mitigate gender bias and enhance family planning efforts. Keywords: Gender preference, Contraceptive prevalence, Fertility rates, Family planning, Son preference.

Keywords: Fertility, Family Planning and Contraception, Data and Methods

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