The latest National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) has revealed a continuing decline in fertility among Filipino women, with the total fertility rate dropping to 1.7 children per woman in 2025, the lowest recorded since the survey began.

Conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the survey put into focus changing reproductive patterns and a growing preference for smaller families across the country.

“This decline shows that more women are choosing to space or limit their children, reflecting greater access to family planning and education,” the PSA said.

Adolescent fertility remained low, with only 22 births per 1,000 women aged 15 to 19. Fertility peaked among women aged 25 to 29 at 94 births per 1,000 women and declined sharply in older age groups.

Regionally, fertility varies widely.

The lowest total fertility rate was recorded in Region IV-A at 1.3 and the National Capital Region at 1.4, while the highest was in BARMM at 2.4, followed by Region IX at 2.3 and Caraga at 2.2.

Fertility is consistently higher in rural areas at 2.0 than in urban areas at 1.5.

Education and wealth also influence fertility. Women with only some primary education have the highest fertility at 3.1 children per woman, while college graduates report the lowest at 1.1.

Similarly, fertility declined from 2.8 children per woman among the poorest households to 1.1 among the richest.

Teenage mothers

Teenage childbearing continued to fall, reaching 4.8 percent among girls aged 15 to 19, compared with 10.1 percent in 2013.

Pregnancies are more common in rural areas at 5.6 percent than in urban areas at 4.1 percent and highest among the poorest adolescents at 9.4 percent versus 1.4 percent among the richest.

“This is encouraging news for programs aimed at reducing early pregnancies and improving adolescent health outcomes,” the PSA spokesperson said.

The survey also found that 57.3 percent of currently married women aged 15 to 49 want no more children, reflecting a growing trend toward limiting family size.

Only 13.4 percent want another child within two years, while 16.2 percent prefer to delay pregnancy for two years or more. The desire to limit childbearing increases with the number of children, with nearly 90 percent of women with six or more children wanting to stop.

Urban women are slightly more inclined to limit childbearing at 57.5 percent than rural women at 57.1 percent. Regional differences are notable, with the Cordillera Administrative Region recording the highest proportion of women who want no more children at 63.7 percent, while BARMM has the lowest at 29.7 percent.

Preferences

Education and wealth also shape preferences. Women with only some elementary education are most likely to limit childbearing at 68.1 percent, while those in the richest quintile are least likely at 55.4 percent.

The 2025 NDHS covered 36,128 households nationwide, interviewing 29,694 women aged 15 to 49. The survey collected data on fertility, maternal care, child health, family planning, and other demographic indicators to guide policymakers in designing health and development programs aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.

“This midterm survey provides critical insights into reproductive health trends, helping the government tailor strategies to support women and families,” the PSA said.