Fertility

related
statistics
D R. RA B I A N A Z I R
Learning Objectives

•Define and calculate various fertility rates.

•Analyze fertility patterns and trends.
•Apply fertility indicators to population health assessment.
Fertility -related statistics

Fertility can be measured by

various indicators. However,
stillbirths, fetal deaths, and abortions
are not included in these
measurements.
1. Birth rate

Birth rate is the most basic indicator of fertility. It's defined as the number of live
births per 1000 estimated mid-year population in a given year.
Formula:

Birth Rate = (Number of live births during the year / Estimated mid-year
population) * 1000
Note: Birth rate is not a perfect measure of fertility because the entire population
is not exposed to childbearing. Therefore, it may not accurately reflect the fertility
of a population.
2. General fertility rate
(GFR)

GFR is the number of live births per 1000 women in the reproductive age-
group (15-44 or 49 years) in a given year.
Formula:
GFR = (Number of live births in an area during the year / Mid-year female
population age 15-44 (or 49) in the same area in same year)
* 1000
Note: GFR is a better measure of fertility than the crude birth rate because
the denominator is restricted to women in the childbearing age, rather than
the entire population. However, it still has a limitation: not all women in the
denominator are exposed to the risk of childbirth.
3. General marital fertility
rate (GMFR)

GMFR is the number of live births per 1000

married women in the reproductive age-group
(15-44 or 49) in a given year.
Formula:
GMFR = (Number of live births in a year / Mid-
year married female population in the age-
group 15-49 years) * 1000
4. Age specific fertility rate
(ASFR)

ASFR is a more precise measure of fertility, defined

as the number of live births in a year to 1000 women
in any specific age group. ASFRs provide insights into
fertility patterns and are sensitive indicators of family
planning success.
Formula:
ASFR = (Number of live births in a particular age
group / Mid-year female population of the same age
group) * 1000
5. Age specific marital fertility
rate(ASMFR)

ASMFR is the number of live births in a year

to 1000 married women in any specific age
group.
Formula:
ASMFR = (Number of live births in a particular
age group / Mid-year married female
population of the same age group) * 1000
6. Total fertility rate(TFR)

TFR represents the average number of children a woman

would have if she were to pass through her reproductive years
bearing children at the same rates as the women now in each
age group. It's calculated by summing the age-specific fertility
rates for all ages. If 5-year age groups are used, the sum of
the rates is multiplied by 5. TFR provides an approximate
measure of "completed family size."
Formula:
TFR = 5 * ∑ ASFR (15-19 to 45-49) / 1000
7. Total marital fertility
rate(TMFR)

TMFR is the average number of children

that would be born to a married woman if
she experiences the current fertility pattern
throughout her reproductive span.
Formula:
TMFR = 5 * ∑ ASMFR (15-19 to 45-49) / 1000
8. Gross reproduction rate
(GRR)

GRR is the average number of girls that would be born to a

woman if she experiences the current fertility pattern
throughout her reproductive span (15-44 or 49 years),
assuming no mortality.
Formula:
GRR = 5 * ∑ ASFR for female live births (15-19 to 45-49) /
1000
9. Net reproduction
rate(NRR)

NRR is defined as the number of daughters a

newborn girl will bear during her lifetime, assuming
fixed age-specific fertility and mortality rates.
NRR is a demographic indicator. An NRR of 1 is
equivalent to attaining approximately the 2-child
norm.
If the NRR is less than 1, then the reproductive
performance of the population is said to be below
replacement level.
10. Child woman ratio

The child-woman ratio is the number of children

aged 0-4 years per 1000 women of child-
bearing age, typically defined as 15-44 or 49
years. This ratio is used when birth registration
statistics are inadequate or nonexistent, and
it's estimated using data from censuses.
11. Pregnancy rate

The pregnancy rate is the ratio of the

number of pregnancies in a year to
married women aged 15-44 (or 49). The
"number of pregnancies" includes all
pregnancies, whether they resulted in
live births, stillbirths, abortions, or had
not yet terminated.
12. Abortion rate

The abortion rate is the annual

number of all types of abortions
per 1000 women of child-bearing
age (typically defined as 15-44).
13. Abortion ratio

The abortion ratio is calculated

by dividing the number of
abortions performed during a
particular time period by the
number of live births over the
same period.
14. Marriage rate

The marriage rate is the number of marriages in a year per 1000 population.
Crude Marriage Rate:
Crude Marriage Rate = (Number of marriages in the year / Mid-year population) * 1000
Demographers consider the crude marriage rate unsatisfactory because the denominator
primarily consists of people who are not eligible to marry. A more sensitive rate is the
general marriage rate:
General Marriage Rate:
General Marriage Rate = (Number of marriages within one year / Number of unmarried
persons aged 15-49 years) * 1000
The general marriage rate is more accurate when computed for women than for men
because more men than women marry at older ages.
Pakistan
Fertility and marriage
statistics( source: World
bank PDS 2020)
 Indicator Value Source
Birth rate 21.7 per 1,000 people (2022) World Bank
Pakistan Demographic
General fertility rate (GFR) 3.6 per 1,000 women aged 15-49 (2020) Survey 2020

Fertility rates General marital fertility rate

(GMFR) Not available -

in Pakistan
Varies by age group (see Pakistan Demographic Pakistan Demographic
Age specific fertility rate (ASFR) Survey 2020 for details) Survey 2020

Age specific marital fertility rate Varies by age group (see Pakistan Demographic Pakistan Demographic
(ASMFR) Survey 2020 for details) Survey 2020

Source : World bank PDS Total fertility rate (TFR) 3.6 children per woman (2020)
Pakistan Demographic
Survey 2020
2020 Total marital fertility rate
(TMFR) Not available -
Gross reproduction rate (GRR) 1.3 (2020) World Bank
Net reproduction rate (NRR) 0.9 (2020) World Bank
Pakistan Demographic
Child-woman ratio 84.5 children per 1,000 women aged 15-49 (2020) Survey 2020
Pregnancy rate Not available -
Abortion rate Not available -
Abortion ratio Not available -
Crude Marriage Rate 9.4 per 1,000 people (2020) World Bank
General Marriage Rate Not available -
Key takeaways from this presentation:

• A variety of fertility indicators exist: Birth rate, general fertility rate, age-specific fertility
rate, total fertility rate, and others are used to measure different aspects of fertility.
• Each indicator has its own strengths and limitations: Some indicators are more
sensitive to changes in fertility patterns, while others may be affected by factors like age
structure and marriage rates.
• Fertility trends can be analyzed at different levels: Understanding fertility patterns at
the national, regional, and local levels provides valuable insights into population dynamics.
• Fertility is influenced by various factors: Social, economic, cultural, and health factors
can impact fertility decisions.
• Accurate and reliable data is crucial: Accurate data on fertility indicators is essential for
informed policymaking and effective interventions.