Socially desired early marriages are the major reason behind adolescent pregnancies in the State, said Gandhi Medical College (GMC) Associate Professor Dr Madhuri Chandra here on Thurday. Dr Chandra was addressing a seminar organised on the occasion of World Population Day.
Dr Chandra said that family pressure, cultural obligation, lack of sex education and suspicion towards contraceptives and condoms and pressure from family for reproduction are the other reasons behind large number of adolescent pregnancies in state. Dr Chandra said adolescent pregnancy means pregnancy in female under the age of 20 years. Adolescent pregnancy is mainly witnessed among the lower middle class population. In the lower middle class families, women also go for earning livelihood to make the ends meet while their teenage daughters remain alone in their home.
She further said that the insecurity prevails among the parents for the teenage daughter and which leads them to getting their daughters married in their teenage. Parents search for groom even before the girl turns 18 and get her married immediately after the girl attains the age of 18 years. Dr Chandra said that 50 per cent of Indian women get married by 18 years of age and get pregnant by 20 years age. Still births and newborn deaths are 50 per cent higher among infants born to adolescent mothers than among those born to mothers aged 20-29 years. Infants of adolescent mothers are also more likely to have low birth weight, which can have a long-term impact on their health and development.
It is also an issue of human rights- adolescent pregnancy often means an abrupt end of childhood, a curtailed education and lost opportunities, added Dr Chandra.
United Nations Framework for Population Activities (UNFPA) Programme Coordinator Dr Prakash Deo, UNFPA State Programme Officer Tejram Jat, Indian Association of Pediatrics (IPA) Bhopal Chapter Adolescent Pediatric Ambassador Dr Jagmeet K Chawla and GMC Associate Professor Dr Varuna Pathak also addressed the seminar.