Anita Raj|Niranjan Saggurti|Balaiah Donta|Jay G. Silverman
Prevalence of child marriage and its effect on fertility and fertility-control outcomes of young women in India: a cross-sectional, observational study
Boston University|Population Council Institute|National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health|Harvard University
child marriage substantial barrier social economic development india primary concern womens health assessed prevalence child marriageie 18 years agein young adult women india associations child marriage womens fertility fertilitycontrol outcomesdata national family health survey3 200506 limited sample indian women aged 2024 years n22 807 14 813 presently married evermarried prevalence child marriage estimated whole sample used regression models adjusted demographics models adjusted demographics duration marriage estimate odds ratios ors associations child marriage fertility fertilitycontrol outcomes evermarried subsample445 women aged 2024 years married age 18 years 226 married age 16 years 26 married age 13 years child marriage significantly associated contraceptive use first childbirth adjusted 137 95 ci 122154 high fertility three births 740 645850 repeat childbirth less 24 months 300 274329 multiple unwanted pregnancies 236 190294 pregnancy termination 148 134163 female sterilisation 668 578760 association child marriage high fertility repeat childbirth less 24 months multiple unwanted pregnancies pregnancy termination sterilisation remained significant controlling duration marriageincreased enforcement existing policies crucial prevention child marriage improved familyplanning education access support urgently needed women married children husbands families reduce high fertility poor fertilitycontrol outcomes practiceus national institutes health indian council medical research