Unmet need for contraception among married women of reproductive age in Pakistan
Pakistan: Unmet need for contraception among married women of reproductive age was 17.3% in 2018. ▼ Falling
Unmet need for contraception among married women of reproductive age in Pakistan, 1991–2018
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 married women ages 15-49.
Analysis
In 2018, unmet need for contraception among married women of reproductive age in Pakistan stood at 17.3%. That is the lowest value across all 6 years on record.
That represents a change of down 31.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unmet need for contraception among married women of reproductive age in Pakistan peaked at 37.5% in 1997 and was at its lowest, 17.3%, in 2018.
Pakistan ranks 27th of 58 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Unmet need for contraception among married women of reproductive age in Pakistan, year by year
| Year | % of married women ages 15-49 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 30.5% | — |
| 1997 | 37.5% | +23.0% |
| 2001 | 33.0% | -12.0% |
| 2007 | 25.2% | -23.6% |
| 2013 | 20.1% | -20.2% |
| 2018 | 17.3% | -13.9% |
Pakistan compared with similar countries
- Pakistan's 17.3% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 20.2%, 85% of the median. (26 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 34.0% | 30.5% | 37.5% | 2 |
| 2000s | 29.1% | 25.2% | 33.0% | 2 |
| 2010s | 18.7% | 17.3% | 20.1% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Pakistan
- 24 Zambia 19.7% compare
- 25 Senegal 19.1% compare
- 26 El Salvador 17.7% compare
- 28 Kazakhstan 15.5% compare
- 29 Malawi 15.4% compare
- 30 Dominican Republic 15.3% 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 unmet need for contraception among married women of reproductive age in Pakistan?
- Unmet need for contraception among married women of reproductive age in Pakistan was 17.3% 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 unmet need for contraception among married women of reproductive age recorded in Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 37.5% in 1997.
- What is the lowest unmet need for contraception among married women of reproductive age recorded in Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 17.3% in 2018.
- How does Pakistan rank for unmet need for contraception among married women of reproductive age?
- Pakistan ranks 27th out of 58 countries with data for 2018.
- Is unmet need for contraception among married women of reproductive age rising or falling in Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 31.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- 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 Unmet need for contraception among married women of reproductive age. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 6 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Fertile, married women of reproductive age (ages 15-49) who do not want to become pregnant and are not using contraception.