WUNRN
STATE OF THE WORLD'S CHILDREN 2011 -
ADOLESCENTS
Direct Link to 148-Page Full UNICEF
Report:
ADOLESCENT GIRLS - RISKS OF EARLY
MARRIAGE & MOTHERHOOD
Pages 22-24 - "Child marriage,
often deemed by elders to protect girls from sexual predation, promiscuity and
social ostracism, in fact makes them more likely to be ignorant about health
and more vulnerable to school droupout. Many adolescent girls are required to
marry early; and when they become pregnant, they face a much higher risk
of maternal mortality, as their bodies are not mature enough to cope with the
experience.
The younger a girl is when she
becomes pregnant, whether she is married or not, the greater the risks to her
health. Complications related to pregnancy and childbirth are among the leading
causes of death worldwide for adolescent girls between the ages of 15 and 19.
For girls, child marriage is also
associated with an increased risk of sexually transmitted infections and
unwanted pregnancies. Research suggests that adolescent pregnancy is related to
factors beyond girls' control."
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