Consequences of Early Marriage on Lifetime Fertility, Maternal health and School participation Among Reproductive Age Women in Mursi Community, Salamago Woreda, Sothern Region, Ethiopia.
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2019-06
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Early marriage has profound psychological, emotional, physical/health and social impact for girl
victims of early marriage. It constricts educational opportunities and the chance for personal
growth for both girls. and boys. Mursi women marry at earlier age than men and most girls are
forced to be married soon after puberty.
The main objective of this study is to assess the magnitude, pattern and consequences of early
marriage on lifetime fertility, maternal health and school participation of reproductive age
women residing in Mursi.
A mixed methods approach, involving both quantitative and qualitative methods, was used in the
study. A community based crossectional study was conducted in Mursi district, Selamago
Woreda, Jinka Zone in Sothern Region during March, 2019. The target population was all evermarried Mursi women in reproductive age in Mursi district. The community survey was based on
a sample of 357 ever-married women in reproductive age. Two way associations were assessed
by chi-square test. In addition multivariable Poisson regression model was applied to examine
effect of age at marriage and other variables on number of children ever born.
The finding showed early marriage is widely practiced in Mursi community, 95% of respondents'
age at first marriage was in the interval 10-19. Cultural norms, economic motives of parents of
the girls to get dowry are major factors for early marriage in Mursi. Marriage at a very early age
of 10 -16 years was significantly more prevalent (87%) for older women (aged 35 and above)
compared to younger women aged 15 - 24 with a percentage of married at 10-16 being 63%, (X2
p value = 0.000), implying marrying at a very early age is declining in time. Significantly higher
proportion of women who married at very early age (10 -16) had wider age difference at
marriage from their husband compared to that of women whose age at marriage was 17 and
above years. Illiteracy is very high for the study group of women at 80%,and from those who
were literate and have been to school 78% have dropped out and 82% of these dropouts stated
that early marriage was the cause. It was found also early marriage was soon followed by teen
pregnancy and child birth in the study group. First birth complications, as prolonged labor and
hemorrhage, happened in significantly higher proportion (86%) for women married at very early
age of 10-16 compared to those married at later age (56%) (with X2
p value of 0.000). The effect
of early marriage on children ever born to women was assessed using Poisson regression model
by controlling other factors. It was found that marriage at very early age of 10-16 increases CEB
by 26% (AOR=1.26, p value = 0.002) compared to those married after 16, after controlling for
current age and abortion experience.
Recommendation : Stakeholders like (MOH, MOE, Ministry of Women and Children, others)
to plan and implement proper programs like promoting and protecting human right , Providing
quality education in every district and raising awareness of the extent of the consequences of
early marriage.
Description
Keywords
Early marriage, Liftime Fertility, Dowry, Polygamy, Prolonged labor, Hemorrhage