What is the total fertility rate?

• A. The rate at which births occur per year
• B. The average number of children born to a woman during her childbearing years
• C. The percentage of children who die before their first birthday
• D. The level of fertility at which populations can replace themselves

Answer: (B)

The total fertility rate is the average number of children a woman would bear over her childbearing years if she experienced the current age-specific fertility rates throughout her life. This makes it a lifetime measure of fertility, not a yearly count. That’s why it matches the description of the average number of children born to a woman during her childbearing years.

The other ideas describe different concepts: births per year would be a yearly birth rate, infant mortality is about deaths of infants, and replacement level fertility is the fertility level needed for a population to replace itself over time (often around 2.1 children per woman in many countries), which is related but not the measure asked for.