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Data

Unmet need for contraception among married women of reproductive age

What you should know about this indicator

Unmet need for contraception is the percentage of fertile, married women of reproductive age who do not want to become pregnant and are not using contraception.

Statistical concept and methodology: Reproductive health is a state of physical and mental well-being in relation to the reproductive system and its functions and processes. Means of achieving reproductive health include education and services during pregnancy and childbirth, safe and effective contraception, and prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases. Complications of pregnancy and childbirth are the leading cause of death and disability among women of reproductive age in developing countries.

Many couples in developing countries want to limit or postpone childbearing but are not using effective contraception. These couples have an unmet need for contraception. Common reasons are lack of knowledge about contraceptive methods and concerns about possible side effects. This indicator excludes women not exposed to the risk of unintended pregnancy because of menopause, infertility, or postpartum anovulation.

Source
Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), and United Nations Population Division, via World Bank (2025) – processed by Our World in Data
Last updated
January 24, 2025
Next expected update
January 2026
Date range
1984–2021
Unit
% of married women ages 15-49

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Max Roser

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Sources and processing

This data is based on the following sources

The World Development Indicators (WDI) is the primary World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially-recognized international sources. It presents the most current and accurate global development data available, and includes national, regional and global estimates.

Retrieved on
January 24, 2025
Retrieved from
https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.UWT.TFRT
Citation
This is the citation of the original data obtained from the source, prior to any processing or adaptation by Our World in Data. To cite data downloaded from this page, please use the suggested citation given in Reuse This Work below.
Household surveys, including Demographic and Health Surveys and Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys. Largely compiled by United Nations Population Division. Indicator SP.UWT.TFRT (https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.UWT.TFRT). World Development Indicators - World Bank (2025). Accessed on 2025-01-24.

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Citations

How to cite this page

To cite this page overall, including any descriptions, FAQs or explanations of the data authored by Our World in Data, please use the following citation:

“Data Page: Unmet need for contraception among married women of reproductive age”. Our World in Data (2025). Data adapted from Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), and United Nations Population Division, via World Bank. Retrieved from https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/unmet-need-for-contraception-share-of-married-women-of-reproductive-age [online resource]
How to cite this data

In-line citationIf you have limited space (e.g. in data visualizations), you can use this abbreviated in-line citation:

Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), and United Nations Population Division, via World Bank (2025) – processed by Our World in Data

Full citation

Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), and United Nations Population Division, via World Bank (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. “Unmet need for contraception among married women of reproductive age” [dataset]. Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), and United Nations Population Division, via World Bank, “World Development Indicators” [original data]. Retrieved June 21, 2025 from https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/unmet-need-for-contraception-share-of-married-women-of-reproductive-age