The latestNational Family Health Survey(NFHS-5) released on Wednesday revealed that the totalfertility rateinOdishahas gone down to 1.8 (2020-21) from 2.1 (2015-16).
The TFR (children per woman) of Odisha is lower than the national Average of 2.
Experts said the trend indicated increased awareness among people about family planning methods and a preference to limit offspring to one or two.
The report said the Percentage of adoption of any kind of contraception (overall) has risen to 74.1 per cent from 57.3 per cent in 2015-16. The rate is better than the national average of 66.7 per cent.
Significantly, the use of oral pill as a method of contraception in Odisha has gone down to 10.8 per cent from 12 per cent while there has been a rise in other forms of family planning.
Pill use has gone up nationally from 4.1 per cent to 5.1 per cent.
Female sterilisation (tubectomy) in the state has marginally gone down from 28.2 per cent to 28 per cent.
The rate of condom use in the state has gone up to 5.5 per cent from 3.4 per cent. Nationally, the rate has gone up from 5.6 per cent to 9.5 per cent. Male sterilisation (vasectomy) in Odisha has gone up marginally from 0.2 per cent to 0.3 per cent.