Today, globally, women of childbearing age have an average of approximately 2.2 children over the course of their lifetime. In pre-industrial times, most women could expect to have somewhere between five and ten live births throughout their lifetime; however, the demographic transition then sees fertility rates fall significantly. Looking ahead, it is believed that the global fertility rate will fall below replacement level in the 2050s, which will eventually lead to population decline when life expectancy plateaus. Recent decades Between the 1950s and 1970s, the global fertility rate was roughly five children per woman - this was partly due to the post-WWII baby boom in many countries, on top of already-high rates in less-developed countries. The drop around 1960 can be attributed to China's "Great Leap Forward", where famine and disease in the world's most populous country saw the global fertility rate drop by roughly 0.5 children per woman. Between the 1970s and today, fertility rates fell consistently, although the rate of decline noticeably slowed as the baby boomer generation then began having their own children. Replacement level fertility Replacement level fertility, i.e. the number of children born per woman that a population needs for long-term stability, is approximately 2.1 children per woman. Populations may continue to grow naturally despite below-replacement level fertility, due to reduced mortality and increased life expectancy, however, these will plateau with time and then population decline will occur. It is believed that the global fertility rate will drop below replacement level in the mid-2050s, although improvements in healthcare and living standards will see population growth continue into the 2080s when the global population will then start falling.

The total fertility rate of the world has dropped from around 5 children per woman in 1950, to 2.2 children per woman in 2025, which means that women today are having fewer than half the number of children that women did 75 years ago. Replacement level fertility This change has come as a result of the global demographic transition, and is influenced by factors such as the significant reduction in infant and child mortality, reduced number of child marriages, increased educational and vocational opportunities for women, and the increased efficacy and availability of contraception. While this change has become synonymous with societal progress, it does have wide-reaching demographic impact - if the global average falls below replacement level (roughly 2.1 children per woman), as is expected to happen in the 2050s, then this will lead to long-term population decline on a global scale. Regional variations When broken down by continent, Africa is the only region with a fertility rate above the global average, and, alongside Oceania, it is the only region with a fertility rate above replacement level. Until the 1980s, the average woman in Africa could expect to have 6-7 children over the course of their lifetime, and there are still several countries in Africa where women can still expect to have 5 or more children in 2025. Historically, Europe has had the lowest fertility rates in the world over the past century, falling below replacement level in 1975. Europe's population has grown through a combination of migration and increasing life expectancy, however even high immigration rates could not prevent its population from going into decline in 2021.

The total fertility rate in a specific year is defined as the total number of children that would be born to each woman if she were to live to the end of her child-bearing years and give birth to children in alignment with the prevailing age-specific fertility rates. It is calculated by totalling the age-specific fertility rates as defined over five-year intervals. Assuming no net migration and unchanged mortality, a total fertility rate of 2.1 children per woman ensures a broadly stable population. Together with mortality and migration, fertility is an element of population growth, reflecting both the causes and effects of economic and social developments. The reasons for the dramatic decline in birth rates during the past few decades include postponed family formation and child-bearing and a decrease in desired family sizes. This indicator is measured in children per woman.

Data Source: Fertility rate, total (births per woman)

Following a spike to 2.5 children per woman in the mid-1960s (during the second wave of the post-WWII baby boom), Germany's fertility rate then fell sharply to around 1.5 children per woman in the 1970s, and it has fluctuated between 1.2 and 1.6 children per woman ever since. Germany's fertility rate has been below the natural replacement level of roughly 2.1 children per woman since 1970, meaning that long-term natural population growth is unsustainable. In fact, Germany has experienced a natural population decline in every year since 1972, and its population has only grown or been sustained at its current level through high net immigration rates.Find more statistics on other topics about Germany with key insights such as crude birth rate, life expectancy of women at birth, and total life expectancy at birth.

This map shows the average number of children born to a woman during her lifetime. Data from Population Reference Bureau's 2017 World Population Data Sheet. The world's total fertility rate reported in 2017 was 2.5 as a whole. Replacement-Level fertility is widely recognized as 2.0 children per woman, so as to "replace" each parent in the next generation. Countries depicted in pink have a total fertility rate below replacement level whereas countries depicted in teal have a total fertility rate above replacement level. In countries with very high child mortality rates, a replacement level of 2.1 could be used, since not every child will survive into their reproductive years. Determinants of Total Fertility Rate include: women's education levels and opportunities, marriage rates among women of childbearing age (generally defined as 15-49), contraceptive usage and method mix/effectiveness, infant & child mortality rates, share of population living in urban areas, the importance of children as part of the labor force (or cost/penalty to women's labor force options that having children poses), and religious and cultural norms, among many other factors. This map was made using the Global Population and Maternal Health Indicators layer.

In 2023, there were five countries, where the average woman of childbearing age can expect to have over six children throughout their lifetime. In fact, of the 20 countries in the world with the highest fertility rates, Afghanistan and Yemen are the only countries not found in Sub-Saharan Africa. High fertility rates in Africa With a fertility rate of 6.13 and 6.12 children per woman, Somalia and Chad were the countries with the highest fertility rate in the world. Population growth in Chad is among the highest in the world. Lack of healthcare access, as well as food instability, political instability, and climate change, are all exacerbating conditions that keep Chad's infant mortality rates high, which is generally the driver behind high fertility rates. This situation is common across much of the continent, and, although there has been considerable progress in recent decades, development in Sub-Saharan Africa is not moving as quickly as it did in other regions. Demographic transition While these countries have the highest fertility rates in the world, their rates are all on a generally downward trajectory due to a phenomenon known as the demographic transition. The third stage (of five) of this transition sees birth rates drop in response to decreased infant and child mortality, as families no longer feel the need to compensate for lost children. Eventually, fertility rates fall below replacement level (approximately 2.1 children per woman), which eventually leads to natural population decline once life expectancy plateaus. In some of the most developed countries today, low fertility rates are creating severe econoic and societal challenges as workforces are shrinking while aging populations are placin a greater burden on both public and personal resources.

While the standard image of the nuclear family with two parents and 2.5 children has persisted in the American imagination, the number of births in the U.S. has steadily been decreasing since 1990, with about 3.6 million babies born in 2023. In 1990, this figure was 4.16 million. Birth and replacement rates A country’s birth rate is defined as the number of live births per 1,000 inhabitants, and it is this particularly important number that has been decreasing over the past few decades. The declining birth rate is not solely an American problem, with EU member states showing comparable rates to the U.S. Additionally, each country has what is called a “replacement rate.” The replacement rate is the rate of fertility needed to keep a population stable when compared with the death rate. In the U.S., the fertility rate needed to keep the population stable is around 2.1 children per woman, but this figure was at 1.67 in 2022. Falling birth rates Currently, there is much discussion as to what exactly is causing the birth rate to decrease in the United States. There seem to be several factors in play, including longer life expectancies, financial concerns (such as the economic crisis of 2008), and an increased focus on careers, all of which are causing people to wait longer to start a family. How international governments will handle falling populations remains to be seen, but what is clear is that the declining birth rate is a multifaceted problem without an easy solution.

Albania Fertility Rate: Total: Births per Woman data was reported at 1.348 Ratio in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1.355 Ratio for 2022. Albania Fertility Rate: Total: Births per Woman data is updated yearly, averaging 2.920 Ratio from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2023, with 64 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 6.383 Ratio in 1960 and a record low of 1.348 Ratio in 2023. Albania Fertility Rate: Total: Births per Woman data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Albania – Table AL.World Bank.WDI: Social: Health Statistics. Total fertility rate represents the number of children that would be born to a woman if she were to live to the end of her childbearing years and bear children in accordance with age-specific fertility rates of the specified year.;(1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2024 Revision; (2) Statistical databases and publications from national statistical offices; (3) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics.;Weighted average;Relevance to gender indicator: it can indicate the status of women within households and a woman’s decision about the number and spacing of children.

In 2024, Monaco was the European country estimated to have the highest fertility rate. The country had a fertility rate of 2.1 children per woman. Other small countries such as Gibraltar or Montenegro also came towards the top of the list for 2024, while the large country with the highest fertility rate was France, with 1.64 children per woman. On the other hand, Ukraine had the lowest fertility rate, averaging around one child per woman.

In 1900, the fertility rate in turkey was just over 6.9 children per woman, meaning that the average woman born in Turkey in that year could expect to have approximately seven children over the course of their reproductive years. This figure would see little change for much of the first half of the 20 th century, falling only to 6.7 children by 1945. However, the fertility rate in Turkey would begin to see dramatic change in the years following the Second World War, as fertility would initially rise in the post-war, global baby boom, only to begin rapidly falling as Turkey began to modernize and access to contraception became more widespread in the country. Fertility would fall the fastest in the 1980s, as Turkey would experience high levels of urbanization and improvements in access to education for women. As a result of these developments, the fertility rate in Turkey would fall to approximately 2.6 children per woman by the turn of the century. This trend would continue steadily into the 21st century, and in 2020, Turkey has a (roughly) replacement-level fertility rate of 2.1 children per woman.

24,3 (отношение) в 2100. Total fertility in all countries is assumed to converge eventually toward a level of 1.85 children per woman. However, not all countries reach this level during the projection period, that is, by 2045-2050. Projection procedures differ slightly depending on whether a country had a total fertility above or below 1.85 children per woman in 2005-2010.

Fertility in high- and medium-fertility countries is assumed to follow a path derived from models of fertility decline established by the United Nations Population Division on the basis of the past experience of all countries with declining fertility during 1950-2010. The models relate the level of total fertility during a period to the average expected decline in total fertility during the next period. If the total fertility projected by a model for a country falls to 1.85 children per woman before 2050, total fertility is held constant at that level for the remainder of the projection period (that is, until 2050). Therefore, the level of 1.85 children per woman represents a floor value below which the total fertility of high- and medium-fertility countries is not allowed to drop before 2050. However, it is not necessary for all countries to reach the floor value by 2050. If the model of fertility change produces a total fertility above 1.85 children per woman for 2045-2050, that value is used in projecting the population.

In all cases, the projected fertility paths yielded by the models are checked against recent trends in fertility for each country. When a country’s recent fertility trends deviate considerably from those consistent with the models, fertility is projected over an initial period of 5 or 10 years in such a way that it follows recent experience. The model projection takes over after that transition period. For instance, in countries where fertility has stalled or where there is no evidence of fertility decline, fertility is projected to remain constant for several more years before a declining path sets in.

Fertility in low-fertility countries is generally assumed to remain below 2.1 children per woman during most of the projection period and reach 1.85 children per woman by 2045-2050. For countries where total fertility was below 1.85 children per woman in 2005-2010, it is assumed that over the first 5 or 10 years of the projection period fertility will follow the recently observed trends in each country. After that transition period, fertility is assumed to increase linearly at a rate of 0.05 children per woman per quinquennium. Thus, countries whose fertility is currently very low need not reach a level of 1.85 children per woman by 2050.
Projected levels of net migration are generally kept constant over most of the projection period. Mortality is projected on the basis of models of change of life expectancy produced by the United Nations Population Division. These models produce smaller gains the higher the life expectancy already reached. The selection of a model for each country is based on recent trends in life expectancy by sex. For countries highly affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the model incorporating a slow pace of mortality decline has generally been used to project a certain slowdown in the reduction of general mortality risks not related to HIV/AIDS.

The fertility rate of a country is the average number of children that women from that country will have throughout their reproductive years. In 1900, Mexican women of childbearing age would go on to have approximately 6.8 children on average over the course of their lifetime, however this number dropped to 5.6 by 1920, partly because of the Mexican Revolution (1910-1920). The fertility rate increased again over the course of the next sixty years, reaching 6.8 in the 1950s and 1960s, during the worldwide baby boom. However, Mexico's fertility rate has been decreasing steadily since 1970, and is expected to reach it's lowest figure ever in 2020, where the fertility rate will be 2.1 children per woman.

The 2006-07 Sri Lanka Demographic and Health Survey (SLDHS) is the fourth in a series of DHS surveys to be held in Sri Lanka-the first three having been implemented in 1987, 1993, and 2000. Teams visited 2,106 sample points across Sri Lanka and collected data from a nationally representative sample of almost 20,000 households and over 14,700 women age 15-49. A nationally representative sample of 21,600 housing units was selected for the survey and 19,872 households were enumerated to give district level estimates (excluding Northern Province). Detailed information was collected from all ever-married women aged 15-49 years and about their children below five years at the time of the survey. Within the households interviewed, a total of 15,068 eligible women were identified, of whom 14,692 were successfully interviewed. The Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) carried out the 2006-07 SLDHS for the Health Sector Development Project (HSDP) of the Ministry of Healthcare and Nutrition, a project funded by the World Bank. The objective of the survey is to provide data needed to monitor and evaluate the impact of population, health, and nutrition programmes implemented by different government agencies. Additionally, it also aims to measure the impact of interventions made under the HSDP towards improving the quality and efficiency of health care services as a whole. All 25 districts of Sri Lanka were included at the design stage. The final sample has only 20 districts, however, after dropping the 5 districts of the Northern Province (Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mannar, Vavuniya, and Mullativu), due to the security situation there. OBJECTIVES The objective of this report is to publish the final findings of the 2006-07 SLDHS. This final report provides information mainly on background characteristics of respondents, fertility, reproductive health and maternal care, child health, nutrition, women's empowerment, and awareness of HIV/AIDS and prevention. It is expected that the content of this report will satisfy the urgent needs of users of this information. MAIN RESULTS FERTILITY Survey results indicate that there has been a slight upturn in the total fertility rate since the 2000 SLDHS. The total fertility rate for Sri Lanka is 2.3, meaning that, if current age-specific fertility rates were to remain unchanged in the future, a woman in Sri Lanka would have an average of 2.3 children by the end of her childbearing period. This is somewhat higher than the total fertility rate of 1.9 measured in the 2000 SLDHS. Fertility is only slightly lower in urban areas than in rural areas (2.2 and 2.3 children per woman, respectively); however, it is higher in the estate areas (2.5 children per woman). Interpretation of variations in fertility by administrative districts is limited by the small samples in some districts. Nevertheless, results indicate that Galle and Puttalam districts have fertility rates of 2.1 or below, which is at what is known as ?replacement level? fertility, i.e., the level that is necessary to maintain population size over time. Differences in fertility by level of women's education and a measure of relative wealth status are minimal. FAMILY PLANNING According to the survey findings, knowledge of any method of family planning is almost universal in Sri Lanka and there are almost no differences between ever-married and currently married women. Over 90 percent of currently married women have heard about pills, injectables, female sterilization, and the IUD. Eight out of ten respondents know about some traditional method of delaying or avoiding pregnancies. Although the proportion of currently married women who have heard of at least one method of family planning has been high for some time, knowledge of some specific methods has increased recently. Since 1993, knowledge of implants has increased five-fold-from about 10 percent in 1993 to over 50 percent in 2006-07. Awareness about pill, IUD, injectables, implants, and withdrawal has also increased. On the other hand, awareness of male sterilization has dropped by 14 percentage points. CHILD HEALTH The study of infant and child mortality is critical for assessment of population and health policies and programmes. Infant and child mortality rates are also regarded as indices reflecting the degree of poverty and deprivation of a population. Survey data show that for the most recent five-year period before the survey, the infant mortality rate is 15 deaths per 1,000 live births and under-five mortality is 21 deaths per 1,000 live births. Thus, one in every 48 Sri Lankan children dies before reaching age five. The neonatal mortality rate is 11 deaths per 1,000 live births and the postneonatal mortality rate is 5 deaths per 1,000 live births. The child mortality rate is 5 deaths per 1,000 children surviving to age one year. REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH The survey shows that virtually all mothers (99 percent) in Sri Lanka receive antenatal care from a health professional (doctor specialist, doctor, or midwife). The proportion receiving care from a skilled provider is remarkably uniform across all categories for age, residence, district, woman's education, and household wealth quintile. Even in the estate sector, antenatal care usage is at the same high level. Although doctors are the most frequently seen provider (96 percent), women also go to public health midwives often for prenatal care (44 percent). BREASTFEEDING AND NUTRITION Poor nutritional status is one of the most important health and welfare problems facing Sri Lanka today and particularly affects women and children. The survey data show that 17 percent of children under five are stunted or short for their age, while 15 percent of children under five are wasted or too thin for their height. Overall, 21 percent of children are underweight, which may reflect stunting, wasting, or both. As for women, at the national level, 16 percent of women are considered to be thin (with a body mass index < 18.5); however, only 6 percent of women are considered to be moderately or severely thin. Poor breastfeeding and infant feeding practices can have adverse consequences for the health and nutritional status of children. Fortunately, breastfeeding in Sri Lanka is universal and generally of fairly long duration; 97 percent of newborns are breastfed within one day after delivery and 76 percent of infants under 6 months are exclusively breastfed, lower than the recommended 100 percent exclusive breastfeeding for children under 6 months. The median duration of any breastfeeding is 33 months in Sri Lanka and the median duration of exclusive breastfeeding is 5 months. HIV/AIDS The HIV/AIDS pandemic is a serious health concern in the world today because of its high case fatality rate and the lack of a cure. Awareness of AIDS is almost universal among Sri Lankan adults, with 92 percent of ever-married women saying that they have heard about AIDS. Nevertheless, only 22 percent of ever-married women are classified as having ?comprehensive knowledge? about AIDS, i.e., knowing that consistent use of condoms and having just one faithful partner can reduce the chance of getting infected, knowing that a healthy-looking person can be infected, and knowing that AIDS cannot be transmitted by sharing food or by mosquito bites. Such a low level of knowledge about AIDS implies that a concerted effort is needed to address misconceptions about HIV transmission. Programs might be focused in the estate sector and especially in Batticaloa, Ampara, and Nuwara Eliya districts where comprehensive knowledge is lowest. Moreover, a composite indicator on stigma towards HIV-infected people shows that only 8 percent of ever-married women expressed accepting attitudes toward persons living with HIV/AIDS. Overall, only about one- half of ever-married women age 15-49 years know where to get an HIV test. WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT AND DEMOGRAPHIC AND HEALTH OUTCOMES The 2006-07 SLDHS collected data on women's empowerment, their participation in decisionmaking, and attitudes towards wife beating. Survey results show that more than 90 percent of currently married women, either alone or jointly with their husband, make decisions on how their income is used. However, husbands' control over women's earnings is higher among women with no education (15 percent) than among women with higher education (4 percent). In Sri Lanka, the husband is usually the main source of household income; two-thirds of women earn less than their husband. Although the majority of women earn less than their husband, almost half have autonomy in decisions about how to spend their earnings. The survey also collected information on who decides how the husband's cash earnings are spent. The majority of couples (60 percent) make joint decisions on how the husband's cash income is used. More than 1 in 5 women (23 percent) reported that they decide how their husband's earnings are used; another 16 percent of the women reported that their husband mainly decides how his earnings are spent.

The fertility rate of a country is the average number of children that women from that country would have throughout their reproductive years. In the United Kingdom in 1800, the average woman of childbearing age would have five children over the course of their lifetime. Over the next 35 years the fertility rate was quite sporadic, rising to over 5.5 in the 1810s and 1820s, then dropping to 4.9 by 1835. This was during and after the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812 with the US, which was a time of increased industrialization, economic depression and high unemployment after the war. As things became more stable, and the 'Pax Britannica' (a period of relative, international peace and economic prosperity for the British Empire) came into full effect, the fertility rate plateaued until 1880, before dropping gradually until the First World War. The fertility rate then jumped from 2.6 to 3.1 children per woman between 1915 and 1920, as many men returned from the war. It then resumed it's previous trajectory in the interwar years, before increasing yet again after the war (albeit, for a much longer time than after WWI), in what is known as the 'Baby Boom'. Like the US, the Baby Boom lasted until around 1980, where it then fell to 1.7 children per woman, and it has remained around this number (between 1.66 and 1.87) since then.

Mortality rate, under-5, female (per 1,000 live births) in Finland was reported at 2.1 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Finland - Mortality rate, under-5, female (per 1,000 live births) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on November of 2025.

Abstract

The 1997 the Kyrgyz Republic Demographic and Health Survey (KRDHS) is a nationally representative survey of 3,848 women age 15-49. Fieldwork was conducted from August to November 1997. The KRDHS was sponsored by the Ministry of Health (MOH), and was funded by the United States Agency for International Development. The Research Institute of Obstetrics and Pediatrics implemented the survey with technical assistance from the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) program.

The purpose of the KRDHS was to provide data to the MOH on factors which determine the health status of women and children such as fertility, contraception, induced abortion, maternal care, infant mortality, nutritional status, and anemia.

Some statistics presented in this report are currently available to the MOH from other sources. For example, the MOH collects and regularly publishes information on fertility, contraception, induced abortion and infant mortality. However, the survey presents information on these indices in a manner which is not currently available, i.e., by population subgroups such as those defined by age, marital duration, education, and ethnicity. Additionally, the survey provides statistics on some issues not previously available in the Kyrgyz Republic: for example, breastfeeding practices and anemia status of women and children. When considered together, existing MOH data and the KRDHS data provide a more complete picture of the health conditions in the Kyrgyz Republic than was previously available.

A secondary objective of the survey was to enhance the capabilities of institutions in the Kyrgyz Republic to collect, process, and analyze population and health data.

MAIN FINDINGS

FERTILITY

Fertility Rates. Survey results indicate a total fertility rate (TFR) for all of the Kyrgyz Republic of 3.4 children per woman. Fertility levels differ for different population groups. The TFR for women living in urban areas (2.3 children per woman) is substantially lower than for women living in rural areas (3.9). The TFR for Kyrgyz women (3.6 children per woman) is higher than for women of Russian ethnicity (1.5) but lower than Uzbek women (4.2). Among the regions of the Kyrgyz Republic, the TFR is lowest in Bishkek City (1.7 children per woman), and the highest in the East Region (4.3), and intermediate in the North and South Regions (3.1 and3.9, respectively).

Time Trends. The KRDHS data show that fertility has declined in the Kyrgyz Republic in recent years. The decline in fertility from 5-9 to 0-4 years prior to the survey increases with age, from an 8 percent decline among 20-24 year olds to a 38 percent decline among 35-39 year olds. The declining trend in fertility can be seen by comparing the completed family size of women near the end of their childbearing years with the current TFR. Completed family size among women 40-49 is 4.6 children which is more than one child greater than the current TFR (3.4).

Birth Intervals. Overall, 30 percent of births in the Kyrgyz Republic take place within 24 months of the previous birth. The median birth interval is 31.9 months.

Age at Onset of Childbearing. The median age at which women in the Kyrgyz Republic begin childbearing has been holding steady over the past two decades at approximately 21.6 years. Most women have their first birth while in their early twenties, although about 20 percent of women give birth before age 20.

Nearly half of married women in the Kyrgyz Republic (45 percent) do not want to have more children. Additional one-quarter of women (26 percent) want to delay their next birth by at least two years. These are the women who are potentially in need of some method of family planning.

FAMILY PLANNING

Ever Use. Among currently married women, 83 percent report having used a method of contraception at some time. The women most likely to have ever used a method of contraception are those age 30-44 (among both currently married and all women).

Current Use. Overall, among currently married women, 60 percent report that they are currently using a contraceptive method. About half (49 percent) are using a modern method of contraception and another 11 percent are using a traditional method. The IUD is by far the most commonly used method; 38 percent of currently married women are using the IUD. Other modern methods of contraception account for only a small amount of use among currently married women: pills (2 percent), condoms (6 percent), and injectables and female sterilization (1 and 2 percent, respectively). Thus, the practice of family planning in the Kyrgyz Republic places high reliance on a single method, the IUD.

Source of Methods. The vast majority of women obtain their contraceptives through the public sector (97 percent): 35 percent from a government hospital, and 36 percent from a women counseling center. The source of supply of the method depends on the method being used. For example, most women using IUDs obtain them at women counseling centers (42 percent) or hospitals (39 percent). Government pharmacies supply 46 percent of pill users and 75 percent of condom users. Pill users also obtain supplies from women counseling centers or (33 percent).

Fertility Preferences. A majority of women in the Kyrgyz Republic (45 percent) indicated that they desire no more children. By age 25-29, 20 percent want no more children, and by age 30-34, nearly half (46 percent) want no more children. Thus, many women come to the preference to stop childbearing at relatively young ages-when they have 20 or more potential years of childbearing ahead of them. For some of these women, the most appropriate method of contraception may be a long-acting method such as female sterilization. However, there is a deficiency of use of this method in the Kyrgyz Republic. In the interests of providing a broad range of safe and effective methods, information about and access to sterilization should be increased so that individual women can make informed decisions about using this method.

INDUCED ABORTION

Abortion Rates. From the KRDHS data, the total abortion rate (TAR)-the number of abortions a woman will have in her lifetime based on the currently prevailing abortion rates-was calculated. For the Kyrgyz Republic, the TAR for the period from mid-1994 to mid-1997 is 1.6 abortions per woman. The TAR for the Kyrgyz Republic is lower than recent estimates of the TAR for other areas of the former Soviet Union such as Kazakhstan (1.8), and Yekaterinburg and Perm in Russia (2.3 and 2.8, respectively), but higher than for Uzbekistan (0.7).

The TAR is higher in urban areas (2.1 abortions per woman) than in rural areas (1.3). The TAR in Bishkek City is 2.0 which is two times higher than in other regions of the Kyrgyz Republic. Additionally the TAR is substantially lower among ethnic Kyrgyz women (1.3) than among women of Uzbek and Russian ethnicities (1.9 and 2.2 percent, respectively).

INFANT MORTALITY

In the KRDHS, infant mortality data were collected based on the international definition of a live birth which, irrespective of the duration of pregnancy, is a birth that breathes or shows any sign of life (United Nations, 1992). Mortality Rates. For the five-year period before the survey (i.e., approximately mid-1992 to mid1997), infant mortality in the Kyrgyz Republic is estimated at 61 infant deaths per 1,000 births. The estimates of neonatal and postneonatal mortality are 32 and 30 per 1,000.

The MOH publishes infant mortality rates annually but the definition of a live birth used by the MOH differs from that used in the survey. As is the case in most of the republics of the former Soviet Union, a pregnancy that terminates at less than 28 weeks of gestation is considered premature and is classified as a late miscarriage even if signs of life are present at the time of delivery. Thus, some events classified as late miscarriages in the MOH system would be classified as live births and infant deaths according to the definitions used in the KRDHS.

Infant mortality rates based on the MOH data for the years 1983 through 1996 show a persistent declining trend throughout the period, starting at about 40 per 1,000 in the early 1980s and declining to 26 per 1,000 in 1996. This time trend is similar to that displayed by the rates estimated from the KRDHS. Thus, the estimates from both the KRDHS and the Ministry document a substantial decline in infant mortality; 25 percent over the period from 1982-87 to 1992-97 according to the KRDHS and 28 percent over the period from 1983-87 to 1993-96 according to the MOH estimates. This is strong evidence of improvements in infant survivorship in recent years in the Kyrgyz Republic.

It should be noted that the rates from the survey are much higher than the MOH rates. For example, the KRDHS estimate of 61 per 1,000 for the period 1992-97 is twice the MOH estimate of 29 per 1,000 for 1993-96. Certainly, one factor leading to this difference are the differences in the definitions of a live birth and infant death in the KRDHS survey and in the MOH protocols. A thorough assessment of the difference between the two estimates would need to take into consideration the sampling variability of the survey's estimate. However, given the magnitude of the difference, it is likely that it arises from a combination of definitional and methodological differences between the survey and MOH registration system.

MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH

The Kyrgyz Republic has a well-developed health system with an extensive infrastructure of facilities that provide maternal care services. This system includes special delivery hospitals, the obstetrics and gynecology departments of general hospitals, women counseling centers, and doctor's assistant/midwife posts (FAPs). There is an extensive network of FAPs throughout the rural areas.

Delivery. Virtually all births in the

In 2024, the Italian region that registered the highest fertility rate was Trentino-South Tyrol, where the average number of children born per woman reached 1.39 infants. Over the last years, the fertility rate in Italy has constantly decreased, except for 2021, when a slight increase of 0.01 points was recorded. Fewer and fewer children born per womanThe average number of children born per woman significantly varied from the middle of the twentieth century to the present day. In 2017, Italian women were on average a mother of one child, whereas about seven decades earlier, females had on average at least two kids. The lowest fertility rates worldwide From the global perspective, Italy was one of the world's twenty countries with the lowest fertility rate in 2024. This figure in Taiwan reached only 1.11 children per woman, placing the territory on top of the ranking.

Abstract

The survey was conducted by the Bureau of Statistics (BOS) and the Ministry of Health (MOH) of Guyana. ICF Macro of Calverton, Maryland, provided technical assistance to the project through its contract with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Funding to cover technical assistance by ICF Macro and local costs was provided in its entirety by the USAID Mission in Georgetown, Guyana.

The primary objective of the 2009 GDHS was to collect information on characteristics of the households and their members, including exposure to malaria and tuberculosis; infant and child mortality; fertility and family planning; pregnancy and postnatal care; childhood immunization, health, and nutrition; marriage and sexual activity; and HIV/AIDS indicators.

Other objectives of the 2009 GDHS included (1) supporting the dissemination and utilization of the results in planning, managing, and improving family planning and health services in the country and (2) enhancing the survey capabilities of the institutions involved to facilitate surveys of this type in the future.

The 2009 GDHS sampled 5,632 households and completed interviews with 4,996 women age 15-49 and 3,522 men age 15-49. Three questionnaires were used for the 2009 GDHS: the Household Questionnaire, the Women's Questionnaire, and the Men's Questionnaire. The content of these questionnaires was based on the model questionnaires developed by the MEASURE DHS program of ICF Macro.

The primary objective of the 2009 GDHS was to collect information on the following topics: - Characteristics of households and household members - Fertility and reproductive preferences, infant and child mortality, and family planning - Health-related matters, such as breastfeeding, antenatal care, children's immunizations, and childhood diseases - Marriage, sexual activity, and awareness and behavior regarding HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) - The nutritional status of mothers and children, including anthropometry measurements and anemia testing Other complementary objectives of the 2009 GDHS were: - To support dissemination and utilization of the results in planning, managing, and improving family planning and health services in the country - To enhance the survey capabilities of the institutions involved to facilitate their use of surveys of this type in the future

MAIN RESULTS

FERTILITY

Fertility Levels and Differentials If fertility were to remain constant in Guyana, women would bear, on average, 2.8 children by the end of their reproductive lifespan. The total fertility rate (TFR) is close to replacement level in urban areas (2.1 children per woman), and higher in the rural areas (3.0 children per woman). The TFR in the Interior area (6.0 children) is more than twice as high as the TFR in the Coastal area (2.4 children per woman) and is three times the fertility in the Georgetown (urban) area (2.0 children). The TFRs for women in the Interior area are significantly higher for all age groups.

Fertility Preferences Fifty-six percent of currently married women reported that they don't want to have a/another child, and five percent are already sterilized. The figures for men are 51 and 1 percent, respectively. The desire to stop childbearing increases rapidly as the number of children increases. Among respondents with one child, around one in five wants no more children. Among those with three children, about eight in ten women and seven in ten men want no more children.

FAMILY PLANNING

Use of Contraception Forty-three percent of women who are currently married or in union are currently using a contraceptive method, mainly a modern method (40 percent). The methods most commonly used by currently married women are the male condom (13 percent), the pill (9 percent), and the IUD (7 percent). Female sterilization and injectables are each used by 5 percent of women. The 2009 GDHS prevalence rate of 43 percent represents an increase of 8 percentage points since the 2005 GAIS (35 percent). Most of the increase was in condom use, injectables, and female sterilization.

Unmet Need for Family Planning Twenty-nine percent of currently married women have an unmet need for family planning, mostly for limiting births (19 percent) compared with spacing (10 percent). Because 43 percent of married women are currently using a contraceptive method (met need), the total demand for family planning is estimated at 71 percent of married women (22 percent for spacing, 49 percent for limiting). As a result, only 60 percent of the total demand for family planning is met.

MATERNAL HEALTH

Antenatal Care Among women who had a birth in the five years preceding the survey, 92 percent received antenatal care (ANC) from a skilled health provider for their most recent birth (51 percent from a nurse/midwife and 35 percent from a doctor). Older mothers (35-49 years) are less likely to receive antenatal care by a skilled health provider than younger mothers. Eighty-six percent of women with no education received ANC from a skilled health provider compared with 95 percent of women with more than secondary education.

Delivery Care Overall, 92 percent of births in the five years preceding the survey were assisted by a skilled birth provider, mainly by a nurse or midwife (56 percent), followed by a doctor (31 percent). Births to mothers under age 35 and lower order births are more likely to have assistance at delivery by a skilled provider than births to older mothers and higher order births. By residence, births in Urban areas are more likely than those in Rural areas, and births in the Coastal area are more likely than births in the Interior area, to be assisted by a skilled health provider. The percentage of births assisted by a skilled provider ranges from a low of 57 percent in Region 9 to a high of 98 percent in Region 4. Births to mothers who have more education and births in the higher wealth quintiles are more likely to be assisted by a skilled provider than other births. Almost all births to mothers with more than secondary education (98 percent) are assisted by a skilled provider compared with 71 percent of births to mothers with no education.

Caesarean section One in eight births (13 percent) in the five years preceding the survey was delivered by caesarean section. The prevalence of C-section delivery increases steadily with mother's age and decreases with birth order. Regions 1, 6, 7, and 9 have the lowest levels of deliveries by C-section (2-5 percent) and Region 3 has the highest level (23 percent). The percentage of births delivered by C-section increases with a mother's education and generally increases with her wealth.

CHILD HEALTH

Infant and Child Mortality Childhood mortality rates in Guyana are relatively low. For every 1,000 live births, 38 children die during the first year of life (infant mortality), and 40 children die during the first five years (under-age 5 mortality). Almost two-thirds of deaths in the first five years (25 deaths per 1,000 live births) take place during the neonatal period (the first month of life). The mortality rate after the first year of life up to age 5 (child mortality) is also very low at 3 deaths per 1,000 live births. The 2009 GDHS mortality data do not show any clear trends over time. However, mortality data have to be interpreted with caution because sampling errors associated with mortality estimates are large.

Vaccination Coverage Overall, 63 percent of Guyanese children age 18-29 months are fully immunized, and only 5 percent of the children received no vaccinations at all. Looking at coverage for specific vaccines, 94 percent of children received the BCG vaccination, 92 percent received the first dose of pentavalent vaccine, and 78 percent received the first polio dose (Polio 1). Coverage for the pentavalent and polio vaccinations declines with subsequent doses; 85 percent of children received the recommended three doses of pentavalent vaccine, and 70 percent received three doses of polio. These figures reflect dropout rates of 8 percent for the pentavalent vaccine and 11 percent for polio; the dropout rate represents the proportion of children who received the first dose of a vaccine but who did not get the third dose. Eighty-two percent of children are vaccinated against measles, and 79 percent of children have been vaccinated against yellow fever.

Illnesses and Treatment

Acute Respiratory Infections (ARI) Five percent of children under age 5 had symptoms of acute respiratory infection (ARI) in the two weeks preceding the survey. Among children with symptoms of ARI, advice or treatment was sought from a health facility or provider for 65 percent, and antibiotics were prescribed as treatment for 18 percent (data not shown).

Fever Fever was found to be moderately frequent in children under age 5 in Guyana (20 percent), ranging from 17 percent in children under 6 months to about 26 percent in children 12-17 months.. Most of the children under age 5 with fever (59 percent) were taken to a health facility or a health provider for their most recent episode of fever. Overall, about one in five children with fever (21 percent) received antibiotics, and 6 percent received antimalarial drugs.

Diarrhea Overall, about 10 percent of children were reported to have diarrhea in the two weeks immediately before the survey, with just 1 percent reporting bloody diarrhea. Overall, about six in ten children under age 5 with diarrhea (59 percent) were taken to a health facility or health provider for advice or treatment. Male children (55 percent) are less likely than female children (63 percent) to be taken for treatment or advice to a health facility or provider. Additionally, children living in the Coastal area are much less likely to be taken for treatment or advice (50 percent) than children in the Interior area (79 percent).

NUTRITION OF

Mortality rate, under-5, female (per 1,000 live births) in Belarus was reported at 2.1 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Belarus - Mortality rate, under-5, female (per 1,000 live births) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on November of 2025.

Notes: All numbers provided as median (range). Need is reported in billions of kilograms of fruits and vegetables. Country Income Level defined according to World Bank categories: Low-income economies ($1,025 or less), Lower-middle-income economies ($1,026 to $4,035), Upper-middle-income economies ($4,036 to $12,475), High-income economies ($12,476 or more). Fertility is defined according to the United Nations World Population Prospects, 2012 Revision: high fertility (more than 5 children per woman), medium fertility (2–3 children per woman), and low fertility (less than 2.1 children per woman).