Nepal's Total Fertility Rate Drops to 1.9, While Teenage Motherhood Remains a Concern

Kathmandu. Nepal has seen a decline in its fertility rate recently. According to the detailed report of the Nepal Multiple Indicator Survey 2081/82, made public by the Central Bureau of Statistics on Monday, Nepal's total fertility rate has dropped to 1.9 per woman. This means that a Nepali woman between the ages of 15 and 49 gives birth to an average of fewer than two children.

However, despite the decline in the fertility rate, the rate of early motherhood among adolescents remains a serious social issue. The survey results show that 48 live births occur per 1,000 adolescents aged 15 to 19 years.

Furthermore, the report mentions that one in ten women aged 20 to 24 years has already given birth before reaching the age of 18. This clearly indicates that the problems of child marriage and early pregnancy are still prevalent in society. Regarding family planning, only 35 percent of married women were found to be using various methods or means, while about 55 percent of those using modern methods expressed satisfaction with them.

In the field of maternal health, the statistics show that Nepal has made significant progress. It was found that 85 percent of women who gave birth in the two years preceding the survey received at least four antenatal check-ups. Similarly, positive results showed that 90.5 percent of deliveries took place in health institutions and 91.4 percent occurred under the supervision of skilled health workers.

Nevertheless, the fact that the number of births via surgery (Cesarean section) has reached 25.3 percent indicates the increasing use of surgery in delivery services.