Current fertility desire and its associated factors among currently married eligible couples in urban and rural area of Puducherry, south India

BACKGROUND: There are paucity of studies on current fertility desire at community level. OBJECTIVE: To assess current fertility desire and its associated factors among eligible couples of reproductive age group in Puducherry, India. METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional study from 2016 to 2017 among 2228 currently married eligible couples assessed socio-demographic and fertility-related factors associated with fertility desire. Data were collected based on the National Family Health Survey questionnaire. Association of fertility desire was assessed by univariate and generalised linear regression analysis. RESULTS: Out of 1979 respondents, current fertility desire within two years was 13.7% (95% CI, 12.3%–15.3%). Mean number of children (SD) currently living and preferred was 1.77(0.851) and 2.11 (0.528) respectively. After adjusting for confounders, the significant factors positively associated with fertility desire include woman's age of 18–24 (APR = 2.91), 25–29 years (APR=2.48), 30–34 (APR=2.47), 35–39(APR=2.06), high socioeconomic status (APR=2.02), those without child (APR=52.35) and those with one child (APR=35.60). CONCLUSION: The fertility desire is comparatively lesser than other areas. Those without or with a single child and high socioeconomic status group had comparatively more fertility desire.