Bishnupada Sethi
Fertility is one of the most important aspects in the field of demography. Census of India collects data regarding fertility particulars of ‘all ever married women’ irrespective of their age or marriage. It is an indicator to measure population growth, and throws up interesting data related to present and past trends. A correlation has been made between the age group and fertility patterns of a woman. The reproductive age of a woman in India is generally between 15-49 years.
During the 2011 Census, three questions were asked to know the fertility particulars of all ‘ever married women’. Two questions were asked to every ‘currently married’, ‘widowed, separated and divorced woman’ irrespective of their age, about the children ever born and children surviving on the date of census enumeration. The third question was asked to ‘currently married’ women about the children born alive during the last one year prior to the date of enumeration. From the above information, the reproductive age and child-bearing capacity of a woman could be measured.
Statistics obtained from the Census report reveal that out of 1,19,92,001 ‘ever married’ women in the state, 14.27 per cent have not given birth to any child, 17.04 per cent have given birth to one child, 22.93 per cent have given birth to two children, 17.7 per cent to three children, 12.23 per cent to four children, 7.13 per cent to five children, 4.10 per cent to six children and 4.56 per cent have given birth to seven or more children. This reveals that the highest percentage of ever married women prefer having two children.
Though the marriageable age of a girl is fixed at 18 years, statistics reveal that girls in the age group of less than 15 years have given birth to one to two babies. In the age group of less than 15 years, out of 41,729 ever married women, 74.39 per cent of the women have not given birth to any child, but 9.34 per cent of these women have given birth to one child and 16.27 per cent of these women have given birth to two children. Similarly, in the age group of 15-19 years, there are 2,90,089 ever married women in the state, of which 69.79 per cent have not given birth to any child, 22.52 per cent have given birth to one child, 4.23 per cent have given birth to two children, 1.55 per cent of these women have given birth to three children and 1.92 per cent of these women have given birth to four children.
In the age group of 20-24 years, there are 11,65,440 ever married women in the state as per the 2011 census. Out of these women, 36.39 per cent have not given birth, 40.59 per cent have given birth to one child, 17.17 per cent have given birth to two children, 4.02 per cent have given birth to three children, 1.01 per cent have given birth to four children, 0.29 per cent have given birth to five children, 0.14 per cent have given birth to six children and 0.40 per cent have given birth to seven or more children. Minors have given birth several times.
In the age group of 15-19 and 20-24 years, the highest per centage of ever married women has given birth to only one child. In the age group of 25-29, 30-34, 35-39 and 40-44 years, the highest per centage of women has given birth to two children. Similarly, the highest per centage of ever married women giving birth to three children is noticed in the age group of 45-49, 50-54 and 55-59 years. Similarly, the highest per centage of ever married women giving birth to four children are reported in the age group of 60-64, 65-69 and 70-74 years and the highest per centage of ever married women giving birth to seven or more children is noticed in the age group of 75-79 and 80+ years.
Of the total women of 20,762,082 in Orissa reported during 2011 Census, 11,992,001 women are ever married (57.76%). These ever married women have given birth to 31,367,713 children of which 16,433,311 are males and 14,934,402 are females. It reveals that on an average an ever married woman in Orissa has given birth to 2.6 children. The highest percentage of children ever born — 39,35,013 — is noticed to the women in the age group of 35-39 years followed by 40-44 years (37,64,488), 45-49 (34,98,763) and 30-34 years (33,04,296).
The sex ratio of the children ever born to all the ever married women in the state is 909, which is less than the sex ratio of the state (979). This shows that the preference of male child in society still prevails despite several steps taken by the government, non-government and semi-government agencies.
NUMBER OF SURVIVING CHILDREN:
According to statistics, of the total ever-married women of 11,992,001, 16.16 per cent of these women have no surviving child, 18.83 per cent women have one surviving child, 24.82 per cent women have two surviving children, 18.65 per cent of the women have three surviving children, 11.44 per cent of the women have four surviving children and 10.11 per cent women have five or more surviving children.
While making a comparison with the data on the number of children ever born, it is seen that 14.27 per cent of the ever married women have not given birth to any child whereas 16.16 per cent of the ever married women have no surviving children. This increase in percentage indicates the death of the children born to ever-married women. A similar situation is noticed in case of one child, two children and three children. The percentage of women having four surviving children has been decreased to 11.44 per cent from 12.23 per cent of the women who have ever given birth to four children. The decrease is more in case of five or more surviving children. There are 10.11 per cent of the ever married women of whom five or more children are surviving though 15.79 per cent of the women have given birth to five or more children. It indicates that where the number of children ever born is high, survival rate is low, implying more children have died.
Out of the total children ever born, that is 31,367,713 to all ever married women, the surviving children are 27,357,593 which indicates that 40,10,120 children — 12.78 per cent of the children ever born have died. Among males, 20,61,197 children are dead (12.54 per cent) and among females, 19,48,923 children are dead (13.05 per cent). Death percentage of female children is more than male children.
Statistics reveal that 12.78 per cent of the children ever born have died, and 12.54 per cent of the male children ever born and 13.05 per cent of the girl children ever born have died. While analysing the age group wise data of ever married women, it is seen that for the girls who have married below the age of 15 years, 10.97 per cent of their children have died. In case of ever married women of 15-19 years, 11.17 per cent of their children have died. It is worth mentioning here that for women aged 19 years and above, the mortality rate of their children is less than the average rate up to the age of 40-44 years. The death rate increases for currently-married older women aged 45 years and above, indicating improved healthcare.
CURRENT FERTILITY:
During Census 2011, one question was asked about the number of children born to every currently married woman to know the current fertility rate.
During the last year prior to the date of population enumeration (2011), 10,247,249 currently married women have given birth to 6,89,249 children, out of which 52.37 per cent are males and 47.63 per cent are females. It is seen that 46.71 per cent of the births occurred last year are the first child, 28.24 per cent are the second child, 13.21 per cent children are the third child, 6.20 per cent children are the fourth child, 2.83 per cent children are the fifth child, 1.35 per cent children are the sixth child and 1.46 per cent children are seventh or higher child.
Though reproductive age of a woman is 15-49 years, 9,197 children have been born to women aged 50 and above. Of these births, 6.06 per cent are of first in order, 15 per cent are of second, 21.81 per cent are of third, 24.43 per cent births are of fourth, 15.22 per cent births are of fifth, 8.44 per cent births are of sixth and 9.04 per cent births are of seventh or more in order of birth which shows child-bearing capacity still prevails with women aged 50 years and above.
The writer is a senior IAS officer
