Of late World Health Organisation (WHO) academics expressed a great concern in Sydney about teenage pregnancy, which is described as the ‘greatest threat to mankind’, as it contributes to the world’s unsustainable population growth.

 

According to the news report published in the leading newspapers of the world, each year there are around 80 million unwanted pregnancies, out of which 30 millions of these are aborted. Teenage pregnancy is not just the outcome of heavy bouts of drinking alcohol. There are so many social and psychological causes leading to teenage pregnancies all over the globe. Early marriage of the teenagers is one of the main reasons for teenage pregnancies. Lack of proper sex education and counselling as well as poverty can be the major reasons as well.

 

In the Middle Age Europe, child marriage was assumed a blessing. The custom of child marriage prevailed because of the insecure social order and the attitudes of the rich classes of people in society.

 

The chastity of women was to be protected through marriage and the earlier it occurs; the better. The birth of a female baby was regarded as an ill omen. The predatory Sarasenic feudal lords were a source of constant threat to female chastity. Teenager females were given ghunghat or veil so that they hide themselves from the lusty males. Long ago in India, child marriage prevailed and the most popular form of child marriage was probably Swayambhara. Gandharva Vivaha or love marriage was another form of child marriage. But with the Sultans of Delhi taking recourse to war, arson or plunder parents of girl child prefer early marriage for their children in order to reduce the danger to a growing girl’s virginity.

 

Forced teenage marriage is a basic violation of human rights. But this happens every now and then in the developing and the underdeveloped countries. The UNICEF estimates that in the developing countries girls living in the poorest 20 per cent of households are being married at an early age than those living in the wealthiest 20 per cent. Women with primary education are significantly less likely to be married than those who received no education. In countries like Bangladesh, Central African Republic, Chad Guinea, Mali, and Niger more than 60 per cent of women entered into marriage before their eighteenth birthdays. It is difficult to know the exact number of child marriages, as most of these marriages are unregistered and unofficial. But the marriage of teenager girls shortly after puberty is most common in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, in the Middle East, North Africa and other parts of Asia.

 

Gender discrimination and poverty is the root for teenage marriage. Girl children are married off early in poor families. Elderly people often marry much younger girls almost of the age of their own daughters. Age difference was a must in the past.

 

In poor families, young girl were taken as a economic burden. Marriage basically was a means of survival strategy for the family. In India, child marriages are prevalent and teenage pregnancy is a great problem. The recent spate of incidents of rape on minors and the rising levels of promiscuity among teenagers are major cause of concern as they lead to teenage pregnancies. Marriages give some protection to the virgin girls.

 

Adolescent pregnancy may occur even for the irresponsible sexual behaviour. Sex between unmarried teenagers occurs for various social reasons. Today the media is exhibiting sex and pornographic pictures in the name of hot music or adult films round the clock and the teenagers are tempted. Even much publicity given to such occasions as Valentine’s Day can cause this kind of unexpected danger.

 

Parental care is not always available in most of the families. Among the potential behaviour patterns for a teenage girl becoming pregnant include exposure to domestic or sexual violence, high risk behaviour such as smoking, drinking, stress and depression, and most important of all, financial constraints.

 

Teenage pregnancy is associated with health and social effects. The attitude of the society towards the teenage mothers and especially to the unwed mothers is unkind. The teenager pregnant faces isolation, guilt, low self esteem and limited job prospects. From a health point of view, teenage mothers have a higher risk for anemia, pregnancy induced hypertension, foetal distress and sudden infant death syndrome.

 

Pregnancy at a very young age, especially an unwanted one leads to severe emotional and mental trauma for the girl. In a country like India where virginity is given a high value, teenage marriage and pregnancies are not at all unusual phenomena. A child bride faces greater health risks and experiences real physical violation and trauma as her body is forced to deal with early sexual activities and the strains and pains of pregnancy and childbirth.