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Background: Pregnant and parenting youth in Canada face multiple challenges in fulfilling their parenting responsibilities while meeting their own unique needs. The COVID-19 pandemic and its associated public health restrictions exacerbated their challenges by reducing access to support networks, limiting opportunities to promote growth and well-being, and destabilizing their financial and economic standing. The impacts of the pandemic on the mental, physical, and emotional health of individuals are well-documented in the literature. However, there is limited research on how the pandemic influenced the lives, health, and well-being of pregnant and parenting youth and their children in Canada. Therefore, we aimed to examine the wider impacts (social and structural determinants that directly or indirectly impact health and well-being) of the pandemic and its implications for this population. Methods: We used a constructivist grounded theory approach to explore the experiences of pregnant and parenting youth during the pandemic and how certain social determinants of health intersected to shape health outcomes and influence their ability to access services. We conducted qualitative interviews using a semi-structured interview guide over Zoom. Using grounded theory principles, we inductively analyzed the data and categorized our findings into themes. Results: We recruited a total of 50 participants from different regions in Canada. The findings from the interviews were categorized into the following themes: (1) “They bear the burden alone”: Struggles of pregnant and parenting youth, (2) “How will I live the next day?”: Concerns and consequences arising from the pandemic, and (3) “Try to keep your mask on”: Navigating healthcare services while maintaining public health guidelines. Our findings highlight the various challenges encountered by the youth during the pandemic, particularly those associated with financial and economic constraints, lack of accessible health and social services, and increased stress from parenting responsibilities. Conclusion: Pregnant and parenting youth in Canada encountered various barriers while accessing health and social services, maintaining their well-being, and connecting with reliable sources of support during the pandemic. Our study findings emphasize the urgent need for adaptable and comprehensive support systems explicitly catering to the needs of pregnant and parenting youth during crises, such as the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Introduction : Yemen has one of the highest rates of child marriage in the Middle East and North Africa region and is home to one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. How the conflict and resulting displacement have impacted family formation patterns is not entirely clear. In this study, we investigate the impact of displacement on child marriage and early childbearing by comparing time-to-first-marriage and time-to-first-birth among displaced and non-displaced girls. Methods We used data collected through cross-sectional multistage stratified cluster household surveys in three governorates in Yemen with high concentrations of internally displaced persons (IDPs). Employing an analytic sample 1,861 girls aged 15–24, we compared entry into first marriage and time to first birth between IDPs and non-displaced persons using Kaplan Meier curves and Cox regressions. Results We found high rates of child marriage in this population, with 37.8% and 34.5% of ever-displaced and never-displaced girls aged 20–24 married before age 18. Overall, those who were displaced had 30% higher hazard of overall marriage compared to their host counterparts (95% CI 1.16–1.47), and 23% increased hazard of child marriage (95%CI 1.01–1.51). Stratification by governorate revealed heterogeneity across governorates, with displaced populations at higher hazard of marriage in Aden and Maarib but not in Hadramout. We found that child brides and displaced participants were more likely to initiate earlier childbearing compared to non-child brides (HR = 3.44; 95% CI 2.94 4.0) and host counterparts (HR 1.35; 95% CI 1.15–1.58). Despite generally having lower age at first birth, child brides experienced a 19% lower hazard of first birth after marriage compared to those married over 18, indicating that child brides tended to wait longer before first birth (95% CI 0.72–0.92). We did not find a significant association between displacement status and marriage to birth interval after adjusting for child marriage status. Conclusion Our results highlight the impact of forced displacement on time-to-first-marriage and suggest that those who are displaced are more vulnerable to child marriage. We did not find compelling evidence for child marriage driving an increase in early childbearing. Nonetheless, our findings highlight the need for interventions that focus on prevention and mitigation of child marriage in this setting, particularly among IDPs who are at increased vulnerability.

Abstract Background Pregnant and parenting youth in Canada face multiple challenges in fulfilling their parenting responsibilities while meeting their own unique needs. The COVID-19 pandemic and its associated public health restrictions exacerbated their challenges by reducing access to support networks, limiting opportunities to promote growth and well-being, and destabilizing their financial and economic standing. The impacts of the pandemic on the mental, physical, and emotional health of individuals are well-documented in the literature. However, there is limited research on how the pandemic influenced the lives, health, and well-being of pregnant and parenting youth and their children in Canada. Therefore, we aimed to examine the wider impacts (social and structural determinants that directly or indirectly impact health and well-being) of the pandemic and its implications for this population. Methods We used a constructivist grounded theory approach to explore the experiences of pregnant and parenting youth during the pandemic and how certain social determinants of health intersected to shape health outcomes and influence their ability to access services. We conducted qualitative interviews using a semi-structured interview guide over Zoom. Using grounded theory principles, we inductively analyzed the data and categorized our findings into themes. Results We recruited a total of 50 participants from different regions in Canada. The findings from the interviews were categorized into the following themes: (1) “They bear the burden alone”: Struggles of pregnant and parenting youth, (2) “How will I live the next day?”: Concerns and consequences arising from the pandemic, and (3) “Try to keep your mask on”: Navigating healthcare services while maintaining public health guidelines. Our findings highlight the various challenges encountered by the youth during the pandemic, particularly those associated with financial and economic constraints, lack of accessible health and social services, and increased stress from parenting responsibilities. Conclusion Pregnant and parenting youth in Canada encountered various barriers while accessing health and social services, maintaining their well-being, and connecting with reliable sources of support during the pandemic. Our study findings emphasize the urgent need for adaptable and comprehensive support systems explicitly catering to the needs of pregnant and parenting youth during crises, such as the pandemic.

Early childbearing is associated with high maternal stress and family violence. However, the long-term effects of rapid repeat pregnancy (RRP) in young motherhood on child outcomes remain largely unknown. This study examined the pathways between maternal RRP at young ages and child psychosocial problems and emergency room visits in later years. A total of 232 Chinese mother-child dyads provided baseline data in 2015 (Time 1; T1) and follow-up data 6 years later in 2021 (Time 2; T2). At T1, mothers completed questionnaires about child physical abuse frequency and family cohesion and reported their own stress levels. At T2, mothers were re-surveyed with the same questionnaires about child physical abuse frequency and family cohesion. Children's psychosocial problems were assessed through parent proxy-reports and records of emergency room visits were retrieved from hospital databases. After adjusting for demographic information, maternal history of RRP was associated with child physical abuse at T1 (β =.15, p <.05) and in turn linked to child physical abuse recurrence (β =.22, p <.01) and emergency room visits at T2 (β =.22, p <.001). Improved family cohesion over time did not break the link between maternal RRP and child physical abuse recurrence. Poor family dynamics can lead to child physical abuse recurrence and worsen developmental outcomes in children, particularly when coupled with other risk factors such as maternal RRP at young ages. Early interventions to enhance support and reduce vulnerabilities are important for preventing child physical abuse in at-risk families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Early childbearing disrupts girls’ otherwise healthy growth into adulthood and adversely affects their education, livelihood, and health. Individual, sociocultural, economic, environmental, and health service-related factors contribute to childbearing among young females. In India, caste affects health outcomes despite several affirmative policies aimed at improving the health and welfare of the backward castes/tribes. However, there is a dearth of empirical evidence about the impact of caste on early childbearing, more specifically, regarding the trajectory of inter-caste disparities in early childbearing. Method This study used data from all five rounds of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) in India to assess the association between caste and early childbearing over the last three decades. All women aged 20–24 [NFHS-1 (n = 17,218), NFHS-2 (n = 15,973), NFHS-3 (n = 22,807), NFHS-4 (n = 122,955) and NFHS-5 (n = 118,700)] were considered to create a pooled data set (n = 297,653) for analysis. Bivariate analysis and binary logistic regression were conducted using Stata (v17). ArcMap (v10.8) presented the caste-wise prevalence of early childbearing among the states and Union Territories (UTs). Results Many women continue to have early childbearing despite a considerable reduction over the last three decades from 47% in 1992-93 to 15% in 2019-21. Compared to NFHS-1, the odds of early childbearing increased by 15% in NFHS-2 and, after that, declined by 42% in NFHS-3 and 64% in NFHS-4 and NFHS-5. The inter-caste disparity in early childbearing persists, albeit with a narrowing gap, with the Scheduled castes (SC) remaining the most vulnerable group. Adjusting the effects of socio-demographic and economic characteristics, SC women had significantly higher odds of early childbearing (OR = 1.07, CI = 1.04–1.11) than those from the General caste. Conclusion To decrease early childbirth, a focus on adolescent marriage prevention and increasing contraceptive use among young SC women is necessary. Strengthening ongoing programs and policies targeting educational and economic empowerment of the socially weaker castes/tribes will help in reducing early childbearing. Efforts to prevent early childbearing will accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)-especially those related to health, poverty, nutrition, education, and general wellbeing, in addition to protecting women’s reproductive rights.

Early childbearing is a global concern that is largely concentrated in less developed nations. Evidence suggests that teenage parenthood remains a problem that hinders crucial Sustainable Development Goals (SDG's) as Student-parents are likely to drop out of school, in turn worsening the state of underdevelopment in Third-World countries. Girls are more vulnerable to losing educational opportunities due to unplanned pregnancies. There is a need to explore avenues that could be employed to ensure that Student-parents are retained within the educational system. This study explored the experiences of young student-parents: young men and women attending universities while raising a child. This study focused on student-parents who were able to pursue higher education in a South African University despite their early childbearing experience. This was done by employing qualitative exploratory research that included in-depth semi-structured interviews of 20 purposively sampled participants from the University of KwaZulu-Natal in the year 2018. This study guided by the ecological systems theory uncovered that early childbearing was a highly prevalent issue that was linked to detrimental outcomes such as school dropout for women. However, Student-parents of this study through various support such as National Student Financial Aids Scheme (NSFAS) were afforded the opportunity to pursue education. There is a need to explore and improve available financial support and other structures that would encourage Student-parents to continue with their education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Early childbearing remains a public health concern in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) because it has substantial implications for women’s and children’s health and population control. However, little is known about recent changes in early childbearing in the region following the implementation of the Family Planning 2020 initiative (FP2020) national-level interventions. Thus, this study examined factors associated with early childbearing among women in SSA. Methods The study used data from the most recent Demographic and Health Surveys conducted in 31 countries in sub-Saharan Africa between 2010 and 2021. The analysis included a pooled sample of 54,671 parous young women aged 20–24 years. A multivariable binary logistic regression model was used to examine the association between early childbearing and individual and household-level factors. All analyses were weighted to account for complex survey design. Results The study shows that the mean prevalence of early childbearing was high in SSA at 39% (95% CI: 35, 43). Chad had the highest prevalence of early childbearing, 62% (95% CI: 60, 64) while Rwanda had the lowest prevalence of 13% (95% CI: 11, 15). Completing secondary school (aOR = 0.57; 95% CI: 0.52, 0.62) or attaining tertiary level education (aOR = 0.32; 95% CI: 0.22, 0.45), first sexual debut in the age range 15–24 years (aOR = 0.15; 95% CI: 0.14, 0.16) and desire for a small family size (aOR = 0.63; 95% CI: 0.58, 0.69) were associated with reduced odds of early childbearing among young women in SSA. Conclusion The study has established that the prevalence of early childbearing is high in SSA. Level of education, age at first sexual debut, household size, and desired family size are associated with early childbearing in SSA. Governments of SSA countries should enhance sexual and reproductive health interventions to change reproductive behaviour, particularly in adolescents and young women.

Eliminating child marriage is seen by policy makers and advocates as a path toward reducing births to girls below age 18, as most early births have been previously found to occur within marriage. There has been little recent evidence, however, of the marital context in which early childbearing occurs or how this relationship varies across space and levels of development. Using survey and vital registration data covering approximately 95 percent of the world's births to mothers younger than 18 years, we estimated the share of first births that occur within marriage at the global, regional and national levels. We found that more than half of births to mothers below age 18 worldwide take place in sub‐Saharan Africa, and this share will continue to grow. Globally, 76 percent of first births to mothers below age 18 occur within marriage and there are large regional differences. Over the past two decades, the share of first births to mothers below age 18 occurring within marriage declined in most countries with data available, but there are important exceptions. Although most first births to women below age 18 occur following seven months of marriage, the sequencing of child marriage and early childbearing varies widely across countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Early childbearing remains a public health concern in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) because it has substantial implications for women's and children's health and population control. However, little is known about recent changes in early childbearing in the region following the implementation of the Family Planning 2020 initiative (FP2020) national-level interventions. Thus, this study examined factors associated with early childbearing among women in SSA. Methods: The study used data from the most recent Demographic and Health Surveys conducted in 31 countries in sub-Saharan Africa between 2010 and 2021. The analysis included a pooled sample of 54,671 parous young women aged 20–24 years. A multivariable binary logistic regression model was used to examine the association between early childbearing and individual and household-level factors. All analyses were weighted to account for complex survey design. Results: The study shows that the mean prevalence of early childbearing was high in SSA at 39% (95% CI: 35, 43). Chad had the highest prevalence of early childbearing, 62% (95% CI: 60, 64) while Rwanda had the lowest prevalence of 13% (95% CI: 11, 15). Completing secondary school (aOR = 0.57; 95% CI: 0.52, 0.62) or attaining tertiary level education (aOR = 0.32; 95% CI: 0.22, 0.45), first sexual debut in the age range 15–24 years (aOR = 0.15; 95% CI: 0.14, 0.16) and desire for a small family size (aOR = 0.63; 95% CI: 0.58, 0.69) were associated with reduced odds of early childbearing among young women in SSA. Conclusion: The study has established that the prevalence of early childbearing is high in SSA. Level of education, age at first sexual debut, household size, and desired family size are associated with early childbearing in SSA. Governments of SSA countries should enhance sexual and reproductive health interventions to change reproductive behaviour, particularly in adolescents and young women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Early childbearing is a major concern especially in developing countries. This study sought to understand student‐parents’ perspectives of early childbearing, describe their individual experiences and identify the types of support required for such young parents. Methods This was an exploratory qualitative study with semi‐structured in‐depth interviews among 20 purposively selected participants. All the participants were young parent‐students at the University of KwaZulu‐Natal in Durban, South Africa. The interviews were conducted in 2018. Results The young parent‐students identified a lack of adequate information and knowledge about safe sex, contraceptive methods and prevention of pregnancies that led to early childbearing. The common misinformation that prevented the adoption of contraception methods were societal beliefs among men promoting early childbearing, coupled with the negative attitudes of healthcare workers in providing adequate information and reproductive health services. Both male and female parents suffered life‐changing consequences after early childbearing leading to financial burdens to support their new‐born and the interruption of their education. Government financial schemes and bursaries helped these young parents to financially support their new‐born, whereas family support in terms of taking care of the new‐born allowed them to continue with education. In addition, most participants identified having a child as a motivation for pursuing higher education. There is a need for Life Orientation programmes to be tailor‐made to provide adequate knowledge and sensitise the youth on appropriate life choices and access to contraceptives. Conclusion Early childbearing resulted from a lack of adequate knowledge on safe sex and contraceptive methods, poor access to contraceptives, the negative attitudes of healthcare workers in proving adequate sexual and reproductive health services to the youth. Schemes to financially support the young parents and support from family members were key to helping the young parents to continue with university education.

This mixed-methods study investigates whether there is an intergenerational transmission of early marriage and childbearing from mothers to daughters in Turkey. Using data from a national survey that explored fertility and family life in urban Turkey (n = 1007), I investigated the impact of the mother's age at first marriage and childbirth on daughter's risk of early entry into marriage and motherhood. Also, drawing on a small sample of in-depth interviews (n = 11), I explored various dimensions and underlying mechanisms of the transmission of marriage and fertility behavior from one generation to the next. Both the quantitative and qualitative findings point to a strong link between mothers' and daughters' early marriage and fertility behavior in Turkey, confirming the main hypotheses of this study. The main contribution of this study is that it is the first of its kind to explore this issue in a Middle Eastern setting; it provides a new data point and brings a comparative perspective to the existing research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Early marriage and early childbearing are common practices in Ethiopia. Girls who get married and give birth at a very young age are more likely to experience several health problems including anemia among others. However, the effects of early marriage and early childbearing on anemia status of adolescent girls have not been quantified in previous studies. In this study, we assessed whether early marriage and early childbearing measured at both individual and community levels are associated with adolescent anemia. Methods We analyzed data from the 2016 demographic and health survey of Ethiopia. Our study focused on 3172 late female adolescents (15–19 years). We used the chi-squared test and spearman correlation coefficients for bivariate analysis. The relationship between early marriage and childbearing with anemia was evaluated using multilevel binary logistic regression models while controlling other determinants. Results Overall prevalence of anemia among female adolescents was 23.8% (95% CI; 22.3–25.2). Our multivariable multilevel analysis showed that individual-level marital status (AOR = 1.53, 95% CI = 1.06–2.02) and community-level childbearing status (AOR = 2.80, 95% CI 1.25–6.29) were positively associated with anemia among female adolescents. Conclusion Our findings show the presence of significant association between early marriage & early childbearing with adolescent anemia. Therefore, there is a need for effective policies and programs to end the practice of early child marriage and the consequent adolescent pregnancy in Ethiopia. This will help to improve nutritional status of adolescent girls as well as nutritional outcomes of their children.

Child marriage is associated with adverse health and social outcomes for women and girls. Among pastoralists in Kenya, child marriage is believed to be higher compared to the national average. This paper explores how social norms and contextual factors sustain child marriage in communities living in conflict-affected North Eastern Kenya. In-depth interviews were carried out with nomadic and semi-nomadic women and men of reproductive age in Wajir and Mandera counties. Participants were purposively sampled across a range of age groups and community types. Interviews were analysed thematically and guided by a social norms approach. We found changes in the way young couples meet and evidence for negative perceptions of child marriage due to its impact on the girls' reproductive health and gender inequality. Despite this, child marriage was common amongst nomadic and semi-nomadic women. Two overarching themes explained child marriage practices: 1) gender norms, and 2) desire for large family size. Our findings complement the global literature, while contributing perspectives of pastoralist groups. Contextual factors of poverty, traditional pastoral lifestyles and limited formal education opportunities for girls, supported large family norms and gender norms that encouraged and sustained child marriage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intimate partner violence (IPV), early childbearing (ECB) and early marriage (EM) are interconnected to the historical oppression of patriarchal colonialism imposed upon Indigenous peoples throughout the world by colonising nations, such as the UK. The artefacts of colonial oppression persist in both colonising nations and those that have been colonised through social norms of patriarchal oppression perpetuated upon women with far-reaching consequences. Indigenous women of the US experience higher rates of IPV, ECB and EM than any other ethnic group—which pose risks to women's physical, psychological, socioeconomic and educational status. The purpose of this study is to explore Indigenous women's experiences with ECB and EM through a critical ethnography with two US tribes. Through reconstructive analysis the following themes emerged: (i) ECB as a Precursor to Marriage; (ii) Unequal and Overburdened Marriages; (iii) ECB, EM and IPV; and (iv) Continued Harmful Effects of Multiple Abusive Relationships. Indigenous women's experiences of ECB and EM are connected to patriarchal historical oppression that systematically dehumanises and oppresses Indigenous women, who were once treated with respect and esteem. Decolonisation and re-visualisation to promote the status of women and girls are needed to offset women's constrained wellness, socio-political status and safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Purpose: This study aimed to present the level and patterns of premarital first births in Indonesia, and its association with early childbearing.Methods: This study used three rounds of the Indonesia Demographic and Health Survey, including a total of 29,483 women in 2002; 32,895 in 2007 and 45,607 in 2012. Those women who had their first child before reaching 19 years of age were defined as early child bearers, otherwise, the women were known as later child bearers. All conceptions that occurred 9 months after the first marriage were defined as timely births within marriage, thus, premarital first birth is a first birth that occurred less than 7 months after the first marriage.Findings: About 7-11% of Indonesian women conceived their first child before marriage. Both early and later child bearers experienced their first birth less than 7 months after their first marriage, however, women who experienced conception before marriage were twice as likely to become early child bearers compared to women who had their first birth occurred timely.Conclusion: The results of the present analysis show that some Indonesian women had their first child before marriage. Although the unavailability of marriage and birth registrations is the most plausible explanation for the decline in premarital first births among the youngest cohort, regional differences suggest there is also an influence of socio-cultural diversity in the premarital sexual practices of Indonesian women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indonesia has a long history of adolescentmarriage and early childbearing. The religious, sociocultural and economic factors have been pointed out as the major drivers of earlymarriage whilethe 1974 Marriage Law was considered ‘weak’ in preventing the event. As the house of representative has passed the new bill in increasing the minimum legal age of marriage for female from 16 to 19 years old in 2019, a question posed whether the enactment of the new marriage law will be effective in preventing adolescentmarriage in Indonesia

Abstract In the last decades, Western societies have been involved in huge demographic changes, amongst which one of the most important has been the increasing postponement of the transition to parenthood. This paper aims at analysing the consequences of later motherhood and fatherhood on children’s participation in upper-secondary schools in Italy, considering both the vertical and horizontal dimensions of education. It also aims at highlighting the role of father-mother age difference and heterogeneity in the effects by parental SES and birth order. Using Italian labour force survey data (2005-2014), results show that late parenthood is positively associated with educational attainment, whereas teenage and early parenthood negatively affect children’s educational outcomes, net of detailed information on parental SES. Age at parenthood affects the educational achievement mostly for children of low- and middle-educated parents, who are more penalized by early childbearing and more favoured by late parenthood than the offspring of the tertiary educated. Moreover, only children are less affected by age at parenthood, especially in comparison with later-born children. Finally, children’s educational outcomes are worse when the mother is older than the father, independently from the educational outcome considered, whereas they are better in case of parental age homogamy or when the father is slightly older than the mother.

Introduction: females with disabilities experience multiple sexual and reproductive challenges that can result in teenage pregnancy and motherhood. This study assessed the determinants of early childbearing among women by disability status. Methods: the study used the 2016 Uganda demographic and health survey data, analyzing a weighted sample of 18,506 women of reproductive age. We used frequency distributions to describe respondents' characteristics, chi-squared tests and multivariable logistic regressions to establish the determinants of early childbearing. Results: early childbearing is higher among women with disabilities. The determinants of early childbearing among women with disabilities were marital status, religion, education, and occupation. The odds of early childbearing were higher among ever married compared with never married women (aOR=5.35; 95% CI: 2.42-11.84, p=0.000); women who engaged in sales and services compared with those that did not work (aOR=2.73; 95% CI: 1.36-5.50, p=0.005); and smaller religious faiths compared with protestants (aOR=2.70; 95% CI: 1.04-1.34, p=0.047). The odds reduced with advancement in education. Region, attitude towards violence and knowledge of the ovulatory cycle, though associated with early childbearing for nondisabled women were not significant for women with disabilities. Conclusion: the lack of formal education and early marriages increased the odds of early childbearing for all women. Efforts to address early childbearing especially for women with disabilities should consider advancing women's education; and preventive measures targeting women of smaller religious faiths, stressing the dangers of early sex and marriages. The measures should target women with disabilities irrespective of attitudes towards violence, knowledge concerning fertility, and region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Early marriage and early childbearing are common practices in Ethiopia. Girls who get married and give birth at a very young age are more likely to experience several health problems including anemia among others. However, the effects of early marriage and early childbearing on anemia status of adolescent girls have not been quantified in previous studies. In this study, we assessed whether early marriage and early childbearing measured at both individual and community levels are associated with adolescent anemia.Methods: We analyzed data from the 2016 demographic and health survey of Ethiopia. Our study focused on 3172 late female adolescents (15-19 years). We used the chi-squared test and spearman correlation coefficients for bivariate analysis. The relationship between early marriage and childbearing with anemia was evaluated using multilevel binary logistic regression models while controlling other determinants.Results: Overall prevalence of anemia among female adolescents was 23.8% (95% CI; 22.3-25.2). Our multivariable multilevel analysis showed that individual-level marital status (AOR = 1.53, 95% CI = 1.06-2.02) and community-level childbearing status (AOR = 2.80, 95% CI 1.25-6.29) were positively associated with anemia among female adolescents.Conclusion: Our findings show the presence of significant association between early marriage & early childbearing with adolescent anemia. Therefore, there is a need for effective policies and programs to end the practice of early child marriage and the consequent adolescent pregnancy in Ethiopia. This will help to improve nutritional status of adolescent girls as well as nutritional outcomes of their children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AimsThe aim of this study was to explore the mothering experience and practice among reservation-based adult American Indian women who had been adolescent mothers.BackgroundAdolescent American Indian women are at an elevated risk for teen pregnancy and poor maternal/child outcomes. Identifying mothering practices among this population may help guide intervention development that will improve health outcomes.DesignA collaborative orientation to community-based participatory research approach.MethodsEmploying interpretive phenomenology, 30 adult American Indian women who resided on a Northwestern reservation were recruited. In-depth, face-to-face and telephone interviews were conducted between 2007-2008.FindingsWomen shared their mothering experience and practice, which encompassed a lifespan perspective grounded in their American Indian cultural tradition. Four themes were identified as follows: mother hen, interrupted mothering and second chances, breaking cycles and mothering a community. Mothering originated in childhood, extended across their lifespan and moved beyond mothering their biological offspring.ConclusionThese findings challenge the Western construct of mothering and charge nurses to seek culturally sensitive interventions that reinforce positive mothering practices and identify when additional mothering support is needed across a woman's lifespan.

IntroductionAmerican Indian women often have poor perinatal outcomes and are at risk for early childbearing. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the experience and meaning of early childbearing among American Indian women.MethodsEmploying interpretive phenomenology and a semistructured interview guide, we interviewed 30 adult American Indian women residing in a northwestern American Indian reservation about their experiences and meaning of early childbearing.ResultsThree overarching themes were tied to their eventual positive evaluation of the experience: 1) mourning a lost childhood, 2) seeking fulfillment, and 3) embodying responsibility.DiscussionWomen indicated that despite their tumultuous childhoods, early childbearing presented an opportunity to effect positive change in their lives. Women's health care providers are positioned to help women change their lives, thereby, improving health outcomes.

Abstract Background Ethiopia houses the second largest population of female adolescents in Africa. Adolescent childbearing can have detrimental effect to the health and wellbeing of women and their offspring. This study examined trends, sub-national variations and determinants of early childbearing (i.e. childbearing before age 20) in Ethiopia. Methods Data from the 2000–2011 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Surveys and from the 2014–2016 Performance Monitoring and Accountability surveys were pooled for this analysis. Based on the year the women reached puberty, five different cohorts were reconstructed that date back to the early 1970s. Kaplan-Meier methodology was used to estimate the cumulative probability of early childbearing and a Cox proportional hazard regression model to examine the associated factors. Results The cumulative probability of early childbearing declined by approximately two-fifth in the past four decades, from 57.6 to 35.3%. The occurrence of early childbearing varies substantially by region. In the most recent period, it ranged from 9.6% in Addis Ababa to 59% in Benishangul-Gumuz. Early childbearing risk was reduced by 95% for women who did not marry before the age of 20 years compared to those who married before the age of 18 years. For adolescents who married at the age of 18 and 19 years, early childbearing risk decreased by 60 and 78%, respectively. During the same period, there was a parallel decline in the cumulative probability of early marriage (i.e., before the legal age of 18 years) from 55.3 to 28.7%. Compared with adolescents with no education, those with elementary and secondary or higher education had a 50 and 82% lower risk of early childbearing, respectively. Conclusions Early childbearing declined in Ethiopia, largely driven by a parallel reduction in early marriage. However, a large portion of adolescents are still facing early childbearing, and the situation is more dismal in some regions than others. A further reduction in early childbearing is warranted by enforcing the law on the minimum marriage age and expanding secondary and higher education for females. These efforts should give greater emphasis to regions where early childbearing is markedly high.

This study aims to explore women's views and experiences of inter-generational early childbearing, and observe the mechanism of inherited early motherhood in Indonesia. Six informants of in-depth interview were women who gave birth before the age of 18 and have a mother or daughter who was also a teenage mother. As women have been through different events in their life trajectories, the feeling and experience of being a teenage mother were expressed differently by the three different generations. Grandmothers expressed their regret for missing their chance to continue their studies when their parents forced them to marry young. Their disappointment with the current economic status and their past sorrow had placed early childbearing as a remorseful event. While the mothers' generation expressed less guilt, daughters showed no regret for their decision to become teenage mothers. Regarding the mechanism by which early childbearing is repeated across generations, social theory seems to be the most convincing approach to explain how the younger generation followed their parents in starting their childbearing early. It appears that, although the younger generation has their own values in making fertility decisions, their attitudes and practices are shaped from their observation towards their parents' fertility behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last decades, Western societies have been involved in huge demographic changes, amongst which one of the most important has been the increasing postponement of the transition to parenthood. This paper aims at analysing the consequences of later motherhood and fatherhood on children's participation in upper-secondary schools in Italy, considering both the vertical and horizontal dimensions of education. It also aims at highlighting the role of father-mother age difference and heterogeneity in the effects by parental SES and birth order. Using Italian labour force survey data (2005-2014), results show that late parenthood is positively associated with educational attainment, whereas teenage and early parenthood negatively affect children's educational outcomes, net of detailed information on parental SES. Age at parenthood affects the educational achievement mostly for children of low- and middle-educated parents, who are more penalized by early childbearing and more favoured by late parenthood than the offspring of the tertiary educated. Moreover, only children are less affected by age at parenthood, especially in comparison with later-born children. Finally, children's educational outcomes are worse when the mother is older than the father, independently from the educational outcome considered, whereas they are better in case of parental age homogamy or when the father is slightly older than the mother. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Female secondary school attendance has recently increased in sub-Saharan Africa, and so has the risk of becoming pregnant while attending school. We analyze the impact of teenage pregnancy on young women's human capital using longitudinal data in Madagascar that capture the transition from adolescence to adulthood for a cohort aged 21-24 in 2012, first interviewed in 2004. We find that early childbearing increases the likelihood of dropping out of school and decreases the chances of completing secondary school. This pregnancy-related school dropout also has a detrimental impact on standardized test scores in math and French. We instrument early pregnancy with the young woman's community-level access and her exposure to condoms since age 15 after controlling for pre-fertility socioeconomic conditions. Our results are robust to different specifications that address potential endogeneity of program placement and instrument validity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been growing interest in the high levels of pregnancy among young women in South Africa. This study aimed to explore a range of perspectives and experiences of early motherhood among young women in a township in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. This was done using in-depth interviews from a small sample of young mothers aged 18–24 years. All the young mothers reported that they had had their first child while still at school. None of them had intended or planned to have a child, and were therefore not ready for motherhood. Limited information on pregnancy prevention methods plays a key role in influencing early childbearing. Young mothers in the study wanted to assume financial responsibility for their children but they were finding it difficult to do so. Many faced numerous obstacles as they were no longer in a relationship with the father of their child and depended on their own parents for support. Participants described how the difficulties they faced in their daily lives and their new roles as mothers impacted negatively on their education and career aspirations. The study recommends greater involvement of schools and community in addressing the challenges of early childbearing. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background. Research shows that early childbearing is associated negatively with educational attainment and socioeconomic status (SES). Children born to young versus older mothers often do less well in school, and many have early first births. Some studies suggest that mothers’ early childbearing operates through SES to influence the daughters’ early childbearing, and some argue that the association is strong net of SES. The current study tests these direct and indirect associations. Methods. We estimate the pathways through which mothers’ early childbearing influences daughters’ early childbearing in several steps. First, we examine bivariate associations between mothers’ early childbearing and SES, followed by bivariate associations between mothers’ SES outcomes and their daughters’ early childbearing. We then estimate the average marginal effects (AMEs) of mothers’ early children on daughters’, and a KHB decomposition to examine direct and indirect associations. Results. Findings suggest both direct and indirect associations. Nested models show that, net of a range of SES characteristics, mothers’ early childbearing increases the probability of daughters’ by approximately 8%; and KHB results suggest 37% mediation, with daughters’ school performance (12%) and household educational attainment (10%) contributing the highest shares. Conclusion. Mothers’ early childbearing and subsequent SES collectively influence the long-term wellbeing of children. Thus, early childbearing has consequences both within and across generations.

China's middle-aged and older women suffer from poorer health than men. Using national baseline data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), a survey conducted from 2011 to 2012, this article applies logistic models to investigate the association between female fertility history (parity, early childbearing, late childbearing) and middleaged and late-life health. We find that parity is related to the mid-late-life health of women. Women with four children or more are more likely to suffer from activities of daily living (ADL) impairment and poorer self-rated health than those with one to three children. Early childbearing is associated with ADL impairment; however, the correlation is mediated by socioeconomic status. Early childbearing is related to self-rated health in later life by an indirect-only mediation effect via educational attainment and personal income. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Early childbearing influences women's health. This study aims to examine the effects of socio-demographic factors on nutritional status of early childbearing mothers in Bangladesh based on Body Mass Index (BMI) as the indicator.Methods: Data was extracted from Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS)-2011. The survey was performed on 17,842 married women aged 15-49. We focused on early childbearing mothers (age ≤ 24, and who had delivered their first child ≤ 20). Mothers who were underweight (BMI ≤ 18.5 kg/m(2)) would be further classified into various grades of chronic energy deficiency (CED): mild (17.0 ≤ BMI < 18.5 kg/m(2)), moderate (16.0 ≤ BMI <17.0 kg/m(2)), and severe (BMI < 16.0 kg/m(2)). Multiple logistic regression model was used to examine the effect of socio-demographic factors on nutritional status.Results: Mean age of the mothers was 20.49 ± 2.37 years (ranged 15-24 years). The prevalence of underweight among early childbearing mothers was 32.1 % (urban 25 % and rural 35.1 %). Most of the underweight mothers had mild (62.2 %) CED, while the remaining had either moderate (25.9 %) or severe (11.9 %) CED. Multiple logistic regression analysis demonstrated that young mothers from rural areas, poor families, and those who were illiterate or with low level of education, working, and married to unemployed husband were at higher risk for being underweight. Young mothers who had non-caesarean delivered, delivered at home, or married at early age and had more than two children were also at higher risk for being underweight.Conclusions: The prevalence of underweight among early childbearing mothers in Bangladesh is very high (32.1 %), associated with the still common practice of teenage marriage. Education level, wealth index, occupation, place of residence, age at first marriage and parity were important predictors for their nutritional status. The government and non-government organizations should take initiatives to reduce the prevalence of underweight mothers in Bangladesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social work has a particular responsibility to develop culturally and religiously appropriate practice. Early childbearing occurs in many Muslim families and can be a sensitive issue because it is often shaped by local religious teachings. Early childbearing is associated with health and social vulnerabilities. Social work has an important role to partner with local religious leaders to support this vulnerable population. There are Islamic teachings that promote the care of pregnant mothers and babies. Many of these teachings are not well understood or applied when working with Muslim communities. Implications for social work research and practice are examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The consequences of early childbearing on the growth and nutritional status of women in India has not been quantified in previous studies. Our study aimed to fill this gap by analysing the association between early marriage and early childbearing on nutritional status of Indian women, with a focus on Bihar and Andhra Pradesh, the two states accounting for the highest proportion of women marrying and giving first birth before 18 years of age. Our findings revealed that a substantial number of women were married before 18 years and thereby exposed to early pregnancy. Furthermore, a significantly higher proportion of women in the 'thin' category were married before 18 years, both in the Indian sample (33 %, p < 0.001) and in the selected states, Andhra Pradesh (31 %, p < 0.001) and Bihar (43 %, p < 0.001), compared to those women married at higher ages. Similarly, across all our samples women whose first birth was before age 18 years also had a significantly higher probability of being in the 'thin' category across all our samples. This pattern was also observed for associations between early childbirth and anemia levels. We conclude that the net effect of the early age at marriage and age at first birth on nutritional status is significant. Our results underline the need for preventing early marriages and the consequent high adolescent pregnancies in India, particularly in high prevalence states. This will help to improve nutritional status and health care utilisation among women, thereby, prevent maternal and child mortality and thus, achieve the MDGs 4-5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Race-ethnic differences in a range of childbearing behaviors are long standing and well documented, and these differences are attenuated, but not eliminated, when accounting for socioeconomic disparities. The residual differences are often attributed to vague and untested variation across race-ethnic groups in knowledge, attitudes, psychological attributes, normative beliefs, and social context. We use the longitudinal Toledo Adolescent Relationship Study (TARS), which contains a rich set of such factors measured in early adolescence, to assess whether they contribute to race-ethnic differences in having a birth among men and women ages 17-24 ( n = 1,042). Specifically, we test whether individual attitudes, religiosity, and academic behaviors; knowledge and behaviors regarding sex and dating; peer normative context; and parental communication about sex account for variation in the risk of an early birth. We find that socioeconomic factors attenuate but do not reduce differences between black, Hispanic, and white respondents. Including adolescent academic performance and early entry into sex reduces the black-white difference in the odds of early fertility to non-significance; however, beyond socioeconomic status, none of the broad range of factors further attenuate Hispanic-white differences, which remain large and statistically significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recent research on fertility in industrialized countries focuses primarily on delayed childbearing, despite the facts that large numbers of women continue to enter parenthood at relatively young ages and that early childbearing has been linked to economic disadvantage. Objective: This cross-national comparative study describes relationships between women's educational attainment and young age at first birth and evaluates the extent to which these differences have changed over time for women born 1955-1981. Methods: Defining 'early' childbearing as the age by which 20Š of first births have occurred to women in a given birth cohort and country, we describe differences in early childbearing by educational attainment across three cohorts of women in 20 countries. Results: We find a strong negative educational gradient in early childbearing across all 20 countries and some evidence of an increase in the relative prevalence of early childbearing among the least-educated women. In 10 countries, the relative prevalence of early childbearing among women with low education is significantly higher for one or both of the more recent birth cohorts compared to the earliest cohort. However, many countries show no significant change, and in one country (Poland) there is modest evidence of a decreasing educational gap. Conclusions: Evidence that educational differences in early childbearing have grown in some countries is generally consistent with the notion of family bifurcation and 'diverging destinies' by socioeconomic status. However, the pattern is not universal and future work should examine the various factors that shape these patterns, including the role of public policies.

Young Mexican-American women are disproportionately affected by teen pregnancy and early childbearing. While many of the studies that have investigated this population's high risk for early childbearing have focused predominantly on micro-level factors, a growing body of research has demonstrated the importance of neighborhood-level factors in shaping risk for this outcome. In order to elucidate the role of neighborhood context with regards to early childbearing among adolescent Mexican-American women, it is important to understand what these young women consider to be their neighborhood context and how they experience these contexts. This study utilized a mixed-methods design incorporating participatory photography, photo-elicitation, and focus groups in order to gain a more nuanced understanding of how neighborhood context is conceptualized and experienced by Mexican-American young women, and how these experiences may influence risk for early childbearing. Major findings include: (1) participants view the blocks on which they live as their neighborhood, but their exposure to neighborhood context extends beyond these blocks and includes the transient spaces they move through daily; and (2) within their neighborhood contexts, participants are influenced by experiences of discrimination and the presence of gangs and violence. These findings point to the importance of neighborhood-level factors in the lives of adolescent Mexican-American women, and may be used to inform future studies looking at the role of neighborhood context in shaping risk for early childbearing among this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the proportion of adolescent births in Van, Turkey, and to identify characteristics and related outcomes.Methods: Mothers who gave birth at three maternity centers in Van, Turkey, were chosen randomly and were invited to complete a face-to-face questionnaire. Participants were asked for demographic information and pregnancy history. Pregnancy outcomes were obtained from the birth records.Results: Of 1872 mothers who completed the questionnaires, 211 (11.3%) were younger than 19 years. Adolescent mothers showed significantly more inappropriate education for age (82.5% vs 70.1; P<0.001) and were married to less educated partners (76.3% vs 59.4%; P<0.001) following unofficial matrimonies (25.6% vs 10.7%; P<0.001) than older mothers. There were no differences between the age groups in rates of arranged marriages with relatives, income, and household structure. Adolescent mothers reported higher rates of intimate partner violence (17.1% vs 10.8%; P=0.008) and inadequate prenatal care use (28.4% vs 17.6%; P<0.001) compared with older mothers. Adolescent births were associated with an increased risk for preterm delivery (P<0.001) and low birth weight (P<0.001).Conclusions: Cultural factors rather than economic factors seem to be related to early age at marriage and adolescent childbearing, which are associated with poor birth outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaving school prematurely is often claimed to be among the most negative consequences of early marriage and pregnancy for girls in less developed countries. However, an analysis of the relative frequency with which these events actually occur or are named as reasons for leaving school reveals that, at least in the case of francophone Africa, they explain no more than 20 per cent of dropouts. To the extent that demographic events trump school or family factors as determinants of school-leaving, our data indicate that it is union formation - defined by the DHS as first marriage or cohabitation - rather than childbirth that is more likely to have this effect. 'Schoolgirl pregnancy' typically accounts for only between 5 and 10 per cent of girls' departures from school. Furthermore, the risks of leaving school because of pregnancy or marriage have declined over time with the decline in rates of early marriage and childbearing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing upon a conceptual framework proposed by Doherty and colleagues (1998), we examine the association between father residence during adolescence and early paternity and residency for a sample of young adult men. Our data are from the National Survey of Adolescent Males (Waves I, III)--a representative sample of young adult men in the U.S., aged 21 to 27 in 1995. Using multinomial logistic techniques, we find that living with a father during adolescence reduces the odds that young men experience fatherhood at an early age. In addition, living with a biological father as a teen, increases the odds that young adult fathers reside with their children. The association between living with a father as a teen and early paternity and child residency is attenuated by background characteristics and current education and work status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Using prospective data from the Chicago Longitudinal Study (CLS), we investigated the effects of early childhood and school-age predictors on female childbearing, including participation in the Chicago Child–Parent Center (CPC) Program, and related family and school behaviors. The CLS follows the progress of a single cohort of 1539 low-income, minority children who attended the CPCs and other public early childhood programs in 1985–1986. Birth records were obtained for 706 females (92% of original sample) from survey data collected between ages 22–24 and supplemental public aid and school records. Results from regression and survival analyses indicated that the CPC program had a limited impact on childbearing patterns. There was no evidence that preschool participation was associated with lower rates of early childbearing. CPC school-age participation was linked to significantly lower rates of multiple births by age 20. The most consistent predictor of a female''s childbearing status was her parent''s educational attainment. Parent involvement in elementary school, children''s enrollment in magnet schools, AFDC receipt, and teacher ratings of acting out behavior also were significant predictors of early childbearing. Implications for the tailoring of future interventions are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]