Understanding the District-Wise Variation and Reasons of Low Fertility in West Bengal: A Cross-sectional Descriptive Study

Fertility control behaviour is the result of reproductive decision that helps couple for rationally selecting an appropriate contraceptive method, it allow them to practise the right to have children by their own choice. This chapter tries to overview fertility behaviour among currently married women aged 15–49 years in the low fertility setting of West Bengal. This chapter emphasises spatial variation in the number of children that women have and their contraceptive use, and it aims to identify responsible factors in one of the low fertility having state (West Bengal). To achieve the above objectives, few statistical operations are carried out, like percentage distribution, bivariate analysis, chi-square test and multinomial logistic regression. The fifth round of the National Family Health Survey is the main data source. Its result shows a declining trend in the total fertility rate in West Bengal over time. Among the sample of married women, 74% are currently using modern contraceptives in Birbhum district, and 37% and 27% of the sample have two children and one child, respectively here. The percentage share for those who have more than two children is smaller, indicating that women’s choice of contraceptives influences their fertility behaviour. Jalpaiguri, Kolkata, Howrah have provided significant evidence in correlation between modern contraceptive use and fewer children. Traditional contraceptives are highly used in Maldah district, where high rates of women’s having more than two children have been found. Substantially more modern contraceptive use is one of the main reasons for the low fertility rate in West Bengal. Women’s place of residence, wealth status and mass-media exposure are some of the other important determinants of low fertility here.