What Leads to Teenage Motherhood and their Consequences?

Satyajeet Nanda, Gujarat Institute of Development Research

Data from National Family Health Survey (NFHS), 1992-93, India has been analyzed to find out the factors associated with motherhood in teen ages and survival of children to teenage mothers. The proportion of teenage mothers did not vary much with place of residence, but those who are illiterates or mere primary school completed, Muslims, Buddhists, Christians and scheduled tribes constituted higher proportion than other categories. Teenage married women having medium and higher standard of living were found less likely to attain motherhood than those with lower standard of living. Women who used kerosene or other oil for lighting were found more likely to have child loss than those used electricity or gas. The odds of the status of pregnancy wastage were higher in case of women who have had delivery complications and childbirth before time (pre-term) in comparison to those who had not.