About NFHS?
The National Family Health Survey (NFHS) is a large-scale, multi-round household sample survey conducted across India to collect data on health, nutrition, fertility and family welfare. It provides national, State/UT and district-level estimates for evidence-based policymaking.
Conducted By
- Ministry: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW)
- Nodal Agency: International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), Mumbai
NFHS Timeline
| Survey | Year |
| NFHS-1 | 1992–93 |
| NFHS-2 | 1998–99 |
| NFHS-3 | 2005–06 |
| NFHS-4 | 2015–16 |
| NFHS-5 | 2019–21 |
| NFHS-6 | 2023–24 |
Major Indicators Covered
- NFHS collects comprehensive data on fertility, mortality, maternal and child health, family planning, nutrition, anaemia, immunisation, women’s empowerment, domestic violence, non-communicable diseases (NCDs), health insurance, and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) indicators to assess the overall health and socio-economic status of the population.
Key Highlights of NFHS-6
- Covered 6.79 lakh households across 715 districts (excluding Manipur).
- Institutional deliveries increased to 90.6%.
- Full immunisation among children reached 87.1%.
- Total Fertility Rate (TFR) remained at 2.0, below the replacement level of 2.1.
- Improved internet use, mobile ownership and financial inclusion among women.
- Used Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) and included new indicators such as digital literacy, SHGs and DBTs.
Key Concerns
- Rising Caesarean (C-section) deliveries.
- Increasing obesity and Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs).
- Persistent child undernutrition.
- Gaps in recommended antenatal care visits.
- Anaemia biomarker testing omitted in NFHS-6.
Conclusion
NFHS is India’s most comprehensive health survey, providing reliable data for planning, monitoring and improving public health and social welfare programmes.
| This concept has been discussed elaborately in the following article: Prolonged Heat Exposure During Pregnancy and Adverse Birth Outcomes |