The number of children the average woman bears is known as?

• A. Crude birth rate
• B. Mortality rate
• C. Fertility rate
• D. Replacement level

Answer: (C)

The number of children the average woman bears is described by the fertility rate. This term focuses on female reproductive output, measuring how many children a woman would have on average under current fertility patterns. It directly reflects how many births come from women, rather than total births in the population or deaths.

The other terms describe different ideas: a crude birth rate counts births per 1,000 people in a year and mixes ages and both sexes, so it isn’t about women’s individual fertility; a mortality rate counts deaths; and the replacement level is the fertility threshold needed to keep the population size stable over time, not the average number of children a woman bears.