Publication

Abstract : Kerala has a below-replacement level fertility with a TFR of 1.8 in 2019-21. This consistent decline in fertility calls attention to the need for prevention and treatment for infertility. We therefore estimate the levels of infertility across the districts of Kerala using the Census of India 2011 and establish the level of fertility that may need to be bridged between the ages 30-34 and 45-49 using an index of infertility to demonstrate this potential demand. Infertility was estimated for the 14 districts of Kerala using the expected proportion of women with TFR=0 applying the discrete analogue of the non-homogenous poisson process described by Pandey and Suchindran. Three estimates were computed using ASFR, ASMFR and proportion of women with ‘0’ parity at age 45-49. The index of infertility captured the potential for reduction (or increase) in infertility below (or above) what is expected between the age groups 30-34 and 45-49. Kerala’s expected level of infertility was 6.1 percent among ever married women in 2011.There was just 30 percent reduction in infertility from what was expected, indicating that intervention aided reduction does not cover the whole. There is a potential demand for services to reduce infertility across the state.