Mysuru: Teenage pregnancy and motherhood increased in Kodagu and Chamarajanagar districts, even as all seven districts in the old Mysuru region covered by National Family Health Survey-6 (NFHS-6) recorded a decline in women marrying before 18.NFHS-6 data showed the proportion of surveyed girls aged 15-19 who were mothers or pregnant rose from 6.1% in 2019-21 to 6.3% in 2023-24 in Chamarajanagar and from 3.2% to 5.7% in Kodagu.The proportion remained unchanged at 5.9% in Mandya. In the other four districts, the percentage declined. Mysuru recorded a fall from 7% to 5.8%, Chikkamagaluru from 5.5% to 2.3%, Hassan from 6.4% to 0%, and Shivamogga from 2.4% to 1.2%.The data on early marriage, however, show improvement across all seven districts. The percentage of women aged 20-24 who were married before the age of 18 declined in Chamarajanagar from 19.3% in 2019-21 to 16.9% in 2023-24. Kodagu recorded a fall from 12.8% to 9.3%, while Mysuru saw a decline from 17.5% to 14.6%.Chikkamagaluru registered the steepest reduction among the seven districts, from 19.5% to 11.7%. Hassan recorded a decline from 16.2% to 10.7%, Mandya from 13.1% to 8.8%, and Shivamogga from 11.1% to 4.8%.According to DC Nanjunda, associate professor at University of Mysore’s Centre for the Study of Social Inclusion, said social factors are among the major reasons for teenage pregnancies in tribal communities, which have a significant population in Kodagu and Chamarajanagar districts. He cited how life expectancy among tribal women is very low, which leads families to opt for early marriages for their daughters. “In these communities, parents consider arranging their daughters’ marriages at an early age a responsibility. Lack of education also contributes to the continuation of this practice (marriages),” he said.
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