Share of women using modern contraceptive methods in India
India: Share of women using modern contraceptive methods was 56.4% in 2021. ▲ Rising
Share of women using modern contraceptive methods 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
India recorded 56.4% for share of women using modern contraceptive methods in 2021. That is the highest value across all 11 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 17.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women using modern contraceptive methods in India peaked at 56.4% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 9.5%, in 1971.
That places India 36th out of 113 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 11 years of available data.
Share of women using modern contraceptive methods in India, year by year
| Year | % of women ages 15-49 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 9.5% | — |
| 1981 | 28.1% | +195.8% |
| 1988 | 39.9% | +42.0% |
| 1993 | 36.5% | -8.5% |
| 1999 | 42.8% | +17.3% |
| 2000 | 42.3% | -1.2% |
| 2004 | 45.7% | +8.0% |
| 2006 | 48.5% | +6.1% |
| 2008 | 48.2% | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 47.8% | -0.8% |
| 2021 | 56.4% | +18.0% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 56.4% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 45.1%, 1.3× the median. (37 countries reporting)
- India's 56.4% is above the median for South Asia, which is 53.6%, 1.1× the median. (5 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 9.5% | 9.5% | 9.5% | 1 |
| 1980s | 34.0% | 28.1% | 39.9% | 2 |
| 1990s | 39.6% | 36.5% | 42.8% | 2 |
| 2000s | 46.2% | 42.3% | 48.5% | 4 |
| 2010s | 47.8% | 47.8% | 47.8% | 1 |
| 2020s | 56.4% | 56.4% | 56.4% | 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)
- Population 1.18 million (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 1.18 million (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 1.17 % 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of women using modern contraceptive methods in India?
- Share of women using modern contraceptive methods in India was 56.4% 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 modern contraceptive methods recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 56.4% in 2021.
- What is the lowest share of women using modern contraceptive methods recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.5% in 1971.
- How does India rank for share of women using modern contraceptive methods?
- India ranks 36th out of 113 countries with data for 2021.
- Is share of women using modern contraceptive methods rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.0%. 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 modern contraceptive methods. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated share of women using modern contraceptive methods, among those aged 15–49 and married or in union.