Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences

Year: 2005
Volume: 3
Issue: 1
Page No. 109 - 116

Adolescent Fertility in Bangladesh

Authors : Md. Mahabub-ul-Anwar

Abstract: The consistent high rate of adolescent fertility in Bangladesh is an issue of concern to policy planners, researchers and government because of serious negative social, economic and health consequences associated with early fertility. Besides, early marriage leads to the beginning of fertility at an early age, which eventually increases the risk of mortality and morbidity for both mother and child. The specific objective of this paper is to examine the trends of fertility of adolescent and contraceptive practices among them. The study is based on nationally representative demographic and health survey. Data shows that the total fertility rate has dramatically declined but adolescent fertility is high, which accounts one-third of the total fertility rate. Culturally marriage initiates the beginnings of fertility where outside marriage, fertility is prohibited and age at first marriage is vary low here. Though there is a law of minimum age at marriage for females for 18 years, more than three fourth (78 percent) women marry before that age. The mean age at first marriage and birth are 15 and 15.6 years respectively. With successful efforts of GO and NGOs, contraceptive knowledge is universal here, but the use of contraceptive method among adolescent is low (37.8 percent) and the topic is not always discussed between husband and wife.

How to cite this article:

Md. Mahabub-ul-Anwar , 2005. Adolescent Fertility in Bangladesh . Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences, 3: 109-116.

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