Egypt's fertility rate has declined to 2.33 children per woman in 2025, down from 2.85 in 2021, according to the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS). This represents an 18.2% decrease in the fertility rate over the four-year period. The total fertility rate has brought Egypt closer to the replacement level of around 2.1 children per woman. The crude birth rate also decreased to 17.6 births per 1,000 people, from 21 in 2021.
The share of births delivered by Caesarean section rose sharply to 79.3% in 2025, up from 72.1% in 2021. The national C-section rate varied across regions, with urban areas recording a higher rate of 82.1% compared to rural areas at 77.9%. Kafr El-Sheikh governorate recorded the highest C-section rate at 93.2%, while Matrouh recorded the lowest at 48.7%. These findings are based on the preliminary results of the 2025 Egypt Family Health Survey conducted by CAPMAS in cooperation with the Ministry of Health and Population.
The survey found improvements in several maternal and child health indicators, including antenatal care, facility-based deliveries, exclusive breastfeeding, and early childhood development. A significant 97.1% of mothers received antenatal care from a health professional, while 92.4% received regular antenatal care involving at least four visits. Additionally, 96% of births took place in a health facility, compared to 94.8% in 2021.
Despite improvements in maternal care, the survey highlighted persistent challenges, including high C-section rates, stagnant infant mortality, widespread anaemia among children, rising stunting, and unmet demand for family planning. The neonatal mortality rate remained unchanged at 18 deaths per 1,000 live births, while infant mortality stood at 25 per 1,000. Under-five mortality rose slightly from 28 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2021 to 29 in 2025.
The survey also found significant geographic and educational disparities in fertility rates. Fertility stood at 1.92 children per woman in urban areas, compared to 2.65 in rural areas. Women who had not completed primary education had an average fertility rate of 3.08 children, compared to 2.21 among women with secondary education or higher. One in five births in the five years preceding the survey was unintended, with 20.3% of births not planned.
Demand for family planning is rising, with 65.9% of married women reporting using a family-planning method. However, unmet need for family planning increased from 13.8% in 2021 to 16.2% in 2025. The rate of unmet need was particularly high in Upper Egypt at 19.2% and rural Upper Egypt at 19.8%. The overall demand for family planning stood at 82%, up from 80.2% in 2021.
The survey also found that anaemia remained widespread among children, affecting 39.6% of children aged 6-59 months. Stunting among children under five increased to 13.8%, from 12.9% in 2021, while wasting declined from 3.3% to 1.7%. Additionally, the proportion of ever-married women who had undergone female genital mutilation (FGM) declined from 85.6% in 2021 to 79.3% in 2025.
Key points
- Egypt's fertility rate declined to 2.33 children per woman in 2025.
- C-section deliveries rose sharply to 79.3% in 2025.
- Unmet demand for family planning increased to 16.2% in 2025.
