Background: Infertility is an escalating global concern, impacting approximately one-sixth of the reproductive age population worldwide. Employing data from the National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5, 2019-21), this study assessed the prevalence of primary infertility at both national and state levels in India.
Methods: The data of the study was extracted from the National Family Health Survey and Individual file (women file) of the fifth round of NFHS encompassing a sample of 491,484 currently married women in the age group of 15–49 years.
Results: The findings showed that the prevalence of infertility is 18.7 per 1,000 women among those married for at least five years and currently in :union:. This prevalence increases as the duration of marriage decreases. On a state-level analysis, regions such as Goa, Lakshadweep, and Chhattisgarh exhibit the highest burdens.
Conclusion: These findings underscore the growing challenge posed by primary infertility in India, calling for targeted interventions and policy measures. The establishment of a national infertility surveillance system is of pivotal importance in addressing this pressing public health issue.