What effects does early pregnancy have on a girl? Infant mortality. Poverty is a major force behind child marriage around the world. Ending child marriage requires the consent of all those involved, including fathers and religious, community, and tribal leaders. A girl who is married may also have responsibilities in the home, including housework, caring for children or other relatives, be sent to work to help support her husband’s household, or be physically unable to attend school because of pregnancy, or medical complications associated with pregnancy. Regardless of where in the world she lives, child marriage deprives a girl of a future in which she can reach her full potential and furthers a dangerous cycle of oppression and harm. Are girls married before age 18 more vulnerable to domestic violence? Over 720 million women and girls alive today were married before age 18. Firstly, aged under 14. When a girl is married at an early age, her What impact does child marriage have on a girl’s education? Girls who marry young are at a higher risk of dying during childbirth, having their child die before its first birthday, contracting AIDS and becoming a victim of domestic violence. 90 percent of girls age 15-19 who give birth are already married, underscoring the role of child marriage in perpetuating this crisis in women’s health. In the least developed countries, that number doubles – 40 per cent of girls are married before age 18, and 12 per cent of girls are married before age 15. already married. – that’s 1 girl married nearly every 2 at a young age not only has potentially devastating effects for mothers but Achieving higher levels of education and becoming economically independent becomes almost impossible within the context of child marriage, trapping a girl and her family, as well as communities and regions, into a cycle of poverty that may continue unless the pattern is broken with the next generation. Methods: This review was conducted by … dying each year of pregnancy and childbirth related complications. In parts of sub-Saharan Africa, child marriage has also been linked to higher than average rates of HIV/AIDS infections, with married girls in Kenya and Zambia 75 percent more likely than their unmarried sexually active peers to contract HIV. regions where the virus in more prevalent. in pregnancy and childbirth are the leading cause of death in girls aged 15-19 globally, global issue that disproportionately affects girls. As a result, child Child marriage encourages sexual activity among girls who are not yet physically or psychologically ready to deal with childbirth. Key words: Child marriage, Culture, Health, Kenya 1. UNICEF estimates … Child marriage fosters poverty, however, as it ensures that girls who marry young will not be properly educated or take part in the workforce. International Council of Research On Women (ICRW). and 90% of adolescent pregnancies in the developing world are to girls In fact, 65% of all obstetric fistula cases occur in girls under 18. Additional barriers preventing young girls from accessing medical care also prevent young girls from receiving adequate care and medical advice throughout their pregnancy. Girls who are … SDG5: Gender Equality. What impact does child marriage have on girls’ health? Girls' offspring are at increased risk for premature birth and death as neonates, infants, or children. Early marriage and HIV risks in sub-Saharan Africa. Stress in a marriage can also be the cause of increased blood sugar levels and the increased risk of developing type two diabetes. "Protecting" the girl's sexuality: In certain cultures, marrying a girl young presumes that the girl's sexuality, therefore the girl's family's honor, will be "protected" by ensuring that the girl marries as a virgin. Once married or engaged, a husband or future husband may disapprove of his wife attending school, and stop her from attending. Pregnancy CHILD MARRIAGE DEVASTATES GIRLS’ HEALTH Because of the forfeited education, poverty and increased stress resulting from child marriage, women in the U.S. who married at 18 or younger face a 23 percent greater risk of serious health conditions including heart attack, diabetes, cancer and stroke. The more educated a girl is, the less likely she is to marry early. (2006). “Child marriage makes girls far more vulnerable to the profound health risks of early pregnancy and childbirth – just as their babies are more vulnerable to complications associated with premature labor,” notes Anthony Lake, Executive Director of UNICEF. to have numerous sexual partners, which can also increase risk, especially in brides may not have knowledge of HIV risk factors, prevention, treatment or