Adolescent mothers: determinants and dimensions

Abstract

Background: Adolescent pregnancies are more likely seen in poor, uneducated and rural communities. Pregnancy in adolescence is raising problem of all nations including India. There is lot of social pressure among these girls to marry at this tender age and after marriage face the next task of pregnancy which means to have children. The study was conducted with the objective to estimate magnitude of teenage pregnancy in rural community, to assess the socio-cultural dimensions determining teenage pregnancies and to assess the perception of teenage mothers on their social status. Methods: Pre tested and semi structured questionnaire through interview technique. Adolescent girls aged 10-19 years who were already mothers or pregnant at the time of the survey and women aged 20 -24 years married before the age of 18 years were included in survey.  Descriptive statistics like percentage, mean and standard deviation were applied.Results: 54(37.8%) of study participants belonged to the age group of 16-20 years, 52(36.3%) of study participants belonged to Class V according to modified B.G. Prasad socioeconomic status, 81(56.6%) of study participants were married by the age of 16yrs, 93(65.1%) study participants knew one or other family planning methods, Educating about the hazards of adolescent pregnancy in the community, traditional practices can be changed and thereby decreasing early marriages and by this means early pregnancies. Conclusions: There is a need of more B.C.C. activities to increase the age of marriage even though which is legalized at age of 18 years but to follow the same and by thus avoiding this easily avoidable health burden and by educating about the hazards of adolescent pregnancy in the community, traditional practices can be changed and thereby decreasing early marriages and by this means early pregnancies.