Financial constraints are emerging as a leading obstacle to reproductive freedom in India, with 38% of respondents citing money-related challenges as the primary reason they are unable to build the families they desire, according to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)’s latest report.
The findings come from the UNFPA’s 2025 State of World Population (SOWP) Report, titled “The Real Fertility Crisis”. The report draws on responses from 14,000 people across 14 countries, including 1,048 adults in India.
In addition to financial limitations, the report highlights several other key deterrents to parenthood, including housing issues, job insecurity, a lack of reliable childcare, and health barriers like infertility.
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About 19% of Indian respondents also cited family or partner pressure as influencing their decision to have fewer children than they personally wanted. The report further notes growing concerns about the future—including climate change, social instability, and political uncertainty—as factors causing individuals to delay or avoid parenthood.
The report said states such as Bihar, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh continue to experience high fertility rates, while others, like Delhi, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, have sustained below-replacement fertility.
Beyond economic and structural barriers, the report points to modern societal factors—such as loneliness, changing relationship norms, stigma around reproductive choices, and entrenched gender roles—as contributing to delayed or reduced family planning.
“Millions of mothers are alive today, raising children and building communities. But deep inequalities remain across states, castes, and income groups,” UNFPA India Representative Andrea M. Wojnar said. “India has a unique opportunity to show how reproductive rights and economic prosperity can go hand in hand,” she added.
