Share of women using contraceptives in India
India: Share of women using contraceptives was 66.7% in 2021. ▲ Rising
Share of women using contraceptives in India, 1971–2021
Source: Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of women ages 15-49.
Analysis
In 2021, share of women using contraceptives in India stood at 66.7%. That is the highest value across all 12 years on record.
The figure is up 21.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women using contraceptives in India peaked at 66.7% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 13.6%, in 1971.
That places India 30th out of 116 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 12 years of available data.
Share of women using contraceptives in India, year by year
| Year | % of women ages 15-49 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 13.6% | — |
| 1981 | 35.3% | +159.6% |
| 1988 | 44.9% | +27.2% |
| 1993 | 40.7% | -9.4% |
| 1999 | 48.2% | +18.4% |
| 2000 | 46.9% | -2.7% |
| 2004 | 53.0% | +13.0% |
| 2005 | 54.4% | +2.6% |
| 2006 | 56.3% | +3.5% |
| 2008 | 54.8% | -2.7% |
| 2016 | 53.5% | -2.4% |
| 2021 | 66.7% | +24.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 13.6% | 13.6% | 13.6% | 1 |
| 1980s | 40.1% | 35.3% | 44.9% | 2 |
| 1990s | 44.5% | 40.7% | 48.2% | 2 |
| 2000s | 53.1% | 46.9% | 56.3% | 5 |
| 2010s | 53.5% | 53.5% | 53.5% | 1 |
| 2020s | 66.7% | 66.7% | 66.7% | 1 |
Countries ranked near India
More gender data for India
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 341,454 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -0.5667 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 10.96 million (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 11.71 million (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 10.92 million (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 11.70 million (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 10.89 million (2025)
- Age population, age 02, male, interpolated 11.70 million (2025)
- Age population, age 03, female, interpolated 10.88 million (2025)
- Age population, age 03, male, interpolated 11.71 million (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of women using contraceptives in India?
- Share of women using contraceptives in India was 66.7% in 2021, according to Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of women using contraceptives recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 66.7% in 2021.
- What is the lowest share of women using contraceptives recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.6% in 1971.
- How does India rank for share of women using contraceptives?
- India ranks 30th out of 116 countries with data for 2021.
- Is share of women using contraceptives rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 21.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of women using contraceptives. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Contraceptive prevalence rate is the percentage of women who are practicing, or whose sexual partners are practicing, any form of contraception. It is usually measured for women ages 15-49 who are married or in union.