Women's Empowerment and Fertility Intention Among Reproductive Aged Women in South Asia

This study sought to examine the correlation between women's empowerment and fertility intentions—specifically, the desire for additional children and the utilization of modern contraceptives—among reproductive-aged women living with at least one child in five South Asian nations: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Pakistan, amidst a backdrop of declining fertility rates in the region. Analyses utilize the latest standard Demographic and Health Surveys, which are nationally representative of women aged 15 to 49 years. Findings indicate that higher empowerment among women in South Asia concerning attitudes toward violence (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 0.81; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.74–0.88) and decision-making (AOR: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.83–0.94) correlated with a lower likelihood to desire additional children. However, the social independence dimension of empowerment is positively correlated with the desire for additional children. The findings also indicate that the utilization of modern contraception was greater among highly empowered women in South Asia for attitudes towards violence (AOR: 1.17; 95% CI: 1.08–1.25), social independence (AOR: 1.22; 95% CI: 1.13–1.33), and decision-making (AOR: 1.11; 95% CI: 1.01–1.23). This research revealed that specific dimensions of women's empowerment markedly reduce the desire for additional children while concurrently enhancing the propensity to employ modern contraception in conservative South Asian settings. Strategies aimed at fertility regulation and the promotion of contemporary contraceptive use in South Asia must carefully assess and prioritize women's empowerment.