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Child Marriage and Adolescent Motherhood: A Nationwide Vulnerability for Women in Bangladesh

Author

Listed:
  • Jahar Bhowmik

    (Department of Health Science and Biostatistics, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC 3122, Australia)

  • Raaj Kishore Biswas

    (Transport and Road Safety (TARS) Research Centre, School of Aviation, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia)

  • Sorif Hossain

    (Institute of Statistical Research and Training, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh)

Abstract

The persistently high prevalence of girl-child marriage and adolescent motherhood is a public health concern in Bangladesh. This study investigated the division-wise prevalence and the influence of education and religious affiliation on child marriage and adolescent motherhood among women in Bangladesh along with their consequences using 15,474 women aged 15–49 years from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2017–18. Staggeringly, 82.5% women were married before 18, 43.1% were married before 15, and 61.8% gave birth before 18 years of age. Binary logistic regression models for the complex survey showed that girl-children with primary, secondary, and higher secondary or above education were 16% (95% CI: 0.69, 1.03), 32% (95% CI: 0.55, 0.84), and 87% (95% CI: 0.10, 0.17) less likely to get married <18 years of age, respectively, compared to the uneducated. Also, girl-children with secondary and higher education were 21 and 83% less likely to become adolescent mothers, respectively, than the uneducated. Women married during childhood (<18 years) and adolescent mothers were 36 and 55% less likely to continue studies after marriage, respectively, and expressed that they significantly preferred a late marriage. Policy interventions need to address culturally-laden social norms influenced by religious-related beliefs, especially in rural areas.

Suggested Citation

  • Jahar Bhowmik & Raaj Kishore Biswas & Sorif Hossain, 2021. "Child Marriage and Adolescent Motherhood: A Nationwide Vulnerability for Women in Bangladesh," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(8), pages 1-16, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:8:p:4030-:d:534328
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    2. Ambrus, Attila & Field, Erica, 2008. "Early Marriage, Age of Menarche, and Female Schooling Attainment in Bangladesh," Scholarly Articles 3200264, Harvard University Department of Economics.
    3. World Bank, 2019. "Bangladesh Poverty Assessment," World Bank Publications - Reports 32755, The World Bank Group.
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    5. Delprato, Marcos & Akyeampong, Kwame & Dunne, Máiréad, 2017. "Intergenerational Education Effects of Early Marriage in Sub-Saharan Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 173-192.
    6. Biswas, Raaj Kishore & Khan, Jahidur Rahman & Kabir, Enamul, 2019. "Trend of child marriage in Bangladesh: A reflection on significant socioeconomic factors," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 1-1.
    7. Kathryn M. Yount & AliceAnn Crandall & Yuk Fai Cheong & Theresa L. Osypuk & Lisa M. Bates & Ruchira T. Naved & Sidney Ruth Schuler, 2016. "Child Marriage and Intimate Partner Violence in Rural Bangladesh: A Longitudinal Multilevel Analysis," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 53(6), pages 1821-1852, December.
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