Share of women using modern contraceptive methods in Pakistan
Pakistan: Share of women using modern contraceptive methods was 25.0% in 2018. ▲ Rising
Share of women using modern contraceptive methods in Pakistan, 1975–2018
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 2018, share of women using modern contraceptive methods in Pakistan stood at 25.0%.
That represents a change of up 29.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women using modern contraceptive methods in Pakistan peaked at 26.1% in 2013 and was at its lowest, 3.9%, in 1975.
Pakistan ranks 91st of 113 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 13 years of available data.
Share of women using modern contraceptive methods in Pakistan, year by year
| Year | % of women ages 15-49 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 3.9% | — |
| 1985 | 7.6% | +95.5% |
| 1991 | 9.0% | +18.0% |
| 1993 | 17.6% | +95.6% |
| 1995 | 12.6% | -28.4% |
| 1997 | 16.9% | +34.1% |
| 2001 | 20.2% | +19.6% |
| 2003 | 25.2% | +24.7% |
| 2006 | 18.4% | -27.0% |
| 2007 | 21.7% | +17.9% |
| 2008 | 19.3% | -11.1% |
| 2013 | 26.1% | +35.2% |
| 2018 | 25.0% | -4.2% |
Pakistan compared with similar countries
- Pakistan's 25.0% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 45.1%, 55% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
- Pakistan's 25.0% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 39.3%, 64% of the median. (15 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 3.9% | 3.9% | 3.9% | 1 |
| 1980s | 7.6% | 7.6% | 7.6% | 1 |
| 1990s | 14.0% | 9.0% | 17.6% | 4 |
| 2000s | 21.0% | 18.4% | 25.2% | 5 |
| 2010s | 25.6% | 25.0% | 26.1% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Pakistan
- 88 Senegal 25.6% compare
- 89 Mozambique 25.4% compare
- 90 Cote d'Ivoire 25.2% compare
- 92 East Timor 24.1% compare
- 93 Burundi 22.9% compare
- 94 Togo 21.4% compare
More gender data for Pakistan
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 94,592 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 0.6113 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 182,291 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 182,291 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 2.23 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 3.22 million (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 3.37 million (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 3.17 million (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 3.31 million (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 3.14 million (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of women using modern contraceptive methods in Pakistan?
- Share of women using modern contraceptive methods in Pakistan was 25.0% in 2018, 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 Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 26.1% in 2013.
- What is the lowest share of women using modern contraceptive methods recorded in Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.9% in 1975.
- How does Pakistan rank for share of women using modern contraceptive methods?
- Pakistan ranks 91st out of 113 countries with data for 2018.
- Is share of women using modern contraceptive methods rising or falling in Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 29.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Pakistan 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 13 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Estimated share of women using modern contraceptive methods, among those aged 15–49 and married or in union.