Determinants of Single child families in urban India- A study of Kolkata city

One of the emerging demographic phenomenon in urban India – the single child families- is addressed here. As compared to all other cities in India, the prevalence of single child families is quite substantial in Kolkata city (13 percent). To examine this phenomenon, 330 single child mothers have been interviewed in 2012 in Kolkata city. Around forty-two percent of the respondents think that due to low family income and high cost of living, they have opted for single child. Proper care of the child and health problems are the second most important reason cited by respondents. Among the entire respondents, 83 percent believe that their decision to have single child was right and have no regrets. However, 13 percent now feel it would have been better if they had one more child. Nine out of ten respondents stated that single child families have no negative consequences on parents or the child. These urban single child couples are emerging as ‘harbingers’ of low fertility behaviour in India.