How Many Children Does a Woman in Pakistan Typically Have by Age 49? A District-Level Look.

Using data from the Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) 2019, we mapped the lifetime fertility of women aged 45–49, district by district.

This age group offers a clear view of completed fertility — i.e., the total number of children a woman has had by the end of her reproductive years.

Here’s what the data shows:

In several districts, women have more than 9 children by the end of their reproductive years.

The highest fertility was recorded in districts like Tharparkar, Kohistan, and Rajanpur.

On the other end, some districts like Karachi, Islamabad, and Hunza show lower fertility levels, averaging around 3–4 children per woman — yet still above the replacement fertility rate (2.1).

Most districts average between 5 and 8 children per woman

Even after removing the top 3 highest and bottom 2 lowest fertility districts, the remaining spread remains wide

What does this mean?
This chart reinforces that Pakistan still has high fertility at the national level, and major regional variations persist.

The challenge isn’t just national averages — it’s what happens district by district, household by household.

Policies for family planning, maternal health, and women’s empowerment must be locally informed — not one-size-fits-all.