Comparing the timeliness and adequacy of antenatal care uptake between women who married as child brides and adult brides in 20 sub-Saharan African countries

Context Considering the persistent poor maternal and child health outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), this study undertook a comparative analysis of the timing and adequacy of antenatal care uptake between women (aged 20–24 years) who married before age 18 and those who married at age 18 or above. Method Data came from Demographic and Health Surveys of 20 SSA countries. We performed binary logistic regression analysis on pooled data of women aged 20–24 (n = 33,630). Results Overall, the percentage of child brides in selected countries was 57.1%, with the lowest prevalence found in Rwanda (19.1%) and the highest rate in Chad (80.9%). Central and West African countries had the highest prevalence of child marriage compared to other sub-regions. Bivariate results indicate that a lower proportion of child brides (50.0%) had 4+ ANC visits compared to the adult brides (60.9%) and a lower percentage of them (34.0%) initiated ANC visits early compared to the adult brides (37.5%). After controlling for country of residence and selected socio-economic and demographic characteristics, multivariable results established significantly lower odds of having an adequate/prescribed number of ANC visits among women who married before age 15 (OR: 0.63, CI: 0.57–0.67, p<0.001), and women who married at ages 15–17 (OR: 0.81, CI: 0.75–0.84, p<0.001) compared to those who married at age 18+. Similar results were established between age at first marriage and timing of first ANC visit. Other interesting results emerged that young women who married earlier than age 18 and those who married at age 18+ differ significantly by several socio-economic and demographic characteristics. Conclusion Efforts to improve maternal and child health outcomes in SSA must give attention to address the underutilization and late start of antenatal care uptake among child brides.

Child bride, a story that never ends: A look at experiences of Iranian women

Child marriage is one of the issues that deprive many young girls of their basic rights and lives. The present study aimed to explore Iranian child brides’ experiences of the consequences of early marriage. The participants were women living in Tehran who had married at the age of 14–18 years. The analysis of the participants’ experiences revealed four main themes, including ‘underlying causes of early marriages’, ‘concerns and negative feelings’, ‘exposure to violence’, and ‘consequences of early marriages’. Awareness of these challenges can provide useful insights to be used by social workers and policymakers to further support these women.

EFFECTIVENESS OF TEACHING METHODS IN ENHANCING THE KNOWLEDGE REGARDING REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH OF EARLY MARRIED WOMEN OF SLUM

Background: The incidences of child marriage are more associated with the socio economical factors. Though it is more prevalent in rural area but the migrants are coming from the villages to the cities and tend to live in the slums which are cheaper, lack basic amenities, unhygienic and prone to numerous ill health. Child brides face serious reproductive health outcomes due to low knowledge of reproductive matter. Hence, by providing the information regarding menstruation, family planning and RTI/ STI and reproductive right the risks of reproductive health may be reduced. Objective: To know the effectiveness of the teaching methods to improve the knowledge of reproductive health. Material And Method: Longitudinal, non-experimental pre and post test study was conducted among 115 young women of slum who were married before 18 years. Purposive random sampling was applied to select the study subjects. Interview schedule was used to collect the data for the study. The information of reproductive health was provided by didactic lecture, participatory and individual methods. Paired 't' test was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the teaching methods. The overall baseline knowledge regarding reproductive health Result: of the participants was encreased by the intervention. It was observed that there is a signicant value change (p=<0.001) in knowledge of reproductive health. It can be Conclusion: concluded that the if the scientic information will be provided to the women it will enhance the knowledge as well as the healthy practices of reproductive health of women.

Early marriage and women’s empowerment: the case of child-brides in Amhara National Regional State, Ethiopia

Background Women, especially those who marry as children, experience various forms and degrees of exclusion and discrimination. Early marriage is a harmful traditional practice that continues to affect millions around the world. Though it has declined over the years, it is still pervasive in developing countries. In Ethiopia, Amhara National Regional State (or alternatively Amhara region) hosts the largest share of child-brides in the country. This study aimed at assessing the effects of early marriage on its survivors’ life conditions – specifically, empowerment and household decision-making – in western Amhara. Methods This study employed community-based cross-sectional study design. It adopted mixed method approach – survey, in-depth interview and focus group discussion (FGD) – to collect, analyse and interpret data on early marriage and its effects on household decision-making processes. The survey covered 1278 randomly selected respondents, and 14FGDs and 6 in-depth interviews were conducted. Statistical procedures – frequency distribution, Chi-square, logistic regression – were used to test, compare and establish associations between survey results on women empowerment for two groups of married women based on age at first marriage i.e., below 18 and at/after 18. Narratives and analytical descriptions were integrated to substantiate and/or explain observed quantitative results, or generate contextual themes. Results This study reported that women married at/after 18 were more involved in household decision-making processes than child-brides. Child-brides were more likely to experience various forms of spousal abuse and violence in married life. The study results illustrated how individual-level changes, mainly driven by age at first marriage, interplay with structural factors to define the changing status and roles of married women in the household and community. Conclusion Age at first marriage significantly affected empowerment at household level, and women benefited significantly from delaying marriage. Increase in age did not automatically and unilaterally empowered women in marriage, however, since age entails a cultural definition of one’s position in society and its institutions. We recommend further research to focus on the nexus between the household and the social-structural forms that manifest at individual and community levels, and draw insights to promote women’s wellbeing and emancipation.

The High Proportion of Child Brides in Africa: Implications for The Girl Child and The Society

Introduction: Early marriage exposes young brides to a lot of ills, which are not limited to emotional and mental distress, school drop-out, early widowhood, Vesico-vaginal fistula (VVF) disease, etc. This study, therefore, aims to present the proportion of young girls in Africa within age groups 15-19 and 20-24 years who are married, along with the percentage of those within age 20-24 years who got married before age 15 or 18.Methodology: This study made use of secondary data from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), 2017, on the proportion of child brides in the 29 African countries. The raw data was inputted into the Microsoft Excel 2019, analyzed and presented in sentences, percentages, and tables. Results: Niger had the highest proportion (61%) of girls within the age 15-19 years who were married while Namibia had the lowest (5%). Out of 28 countries, 19 countries had less than 25% of teenage girls (15-19 years) who were married. Niger also accounted for the highest proportion (91%) of young brides married by the age 20-24 years, while Namibia had the lowest percentage (20%) of brides within the age 20-24 years. Conclusion: African countries rank among the first twenty with a high prevalence of child marriages. This practice affects the health, economic status, quality of life of these “innocent girls” both in the present and in the future. Therefore, measures to tackle this menace as recommended by UNICEF and UNFPA and emphasized by this study needs to be put in place to change this sad narrative.