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Maternal Mortality and Morbidity

Studies confirm that early marriage and early childbirth are linked to high rates of adolescent fertility and pregnancy related complications. ‘In many cultures, a girl is led to believe that her status as a wife is tied to the number of male offspring she has; frequent pregnancies are therefore common’ (UNICEF,1994). Sadly, the more children a young girl has, the higher the chances are of maternal and infant death. Evidence shows that girls aged between 15 and19 years old are twice as likely to die from childbirth than a woman is in her twenties. Those aged under 15 years are six times more likely to die (Barnes et al,1998). The extent of this problem can be seen by the fact that three out of four teenagers are mothers in Africa, and 40% of teenage births are to girls under 17 years old. These girls are articularly prone to anaemia as their bodies are not yet developed; ‘she still has 4% of her height to gain and her pelvis will only be 82-88% of its fully grown width’ (ASI,1994). Due to the girl’s small pelvis, labour is often slow and the child becomes stuck, resulting in vesico and recto-vaginal fistulas, and incontinence. In many societies, incontinence results in desertion by the husband, family and friends, leaving the girl’s mother to look after her and her children. Sometimes not even this support is given (IAC,1984). Fistulas also occur when young circumcised girls give birth. For many, circumcision leaves rigid scars that are torn during childbirth and are often irreparable (Hinselwood,2000).

Source -- http://www.crin.org/docs/resources/publications/WhoseRighttoChoose.pdf

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