Human Fertility Database (HFD)

The Human Fertility Database provides age-specific fertility rates and related indicators for about 40 countries. An account is required.

Reading data from the web

import pyhmfd

# Age-specific fertility rates, period (rectangles)
df = pyhmfd.read_hfd_web("USA", "asfrRR")

# Mean age at birth
df = pyhmfd.read_hfd_web("SWE", "mabRR")

# Total fertility rate
df = pyhmfd.read_hfd_web("JPN", "tfrRR")

Reading a local file

df = pyhmfd.read_hfd("/path/to/asfrRR.txt", item="asfrRR")

Listing countries and items

# All available countries
countries = pyhmfd.get_hfd_countries()
print(countries)
#       country  code
# 0      Austria   AUT
# 1      Belarus   BLR
# ...

# Items available for a specific country
items = pyhmfd.get_hfd_items("USA")
print(items)

# Date of last update for a country
print(pyhmfd.get_hfd_date("USA"))  # '20260323'

Common data items

Item	Description
asfrRR	Age-specific fertility rates, period (rectangles)
asfrTR	Age-specific fertility rates, period (triangles)
asfrVH	Age-specific fertility rates, cohort
tfrRR	Total fertility rate, period
mabRR	Mean age at birth, period
birthsRR	Live births, period
exposRR	Female population exposure, period

Country availability

Australia is not in the HFD. Use get_hfd_countries() to see the full list of available countries.