MOTHER AGE AT MARRIAGE AS A DETERMINANT OF REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH

Abstract

Background: Early pregnancy and unplanned childbirth may have far-reaching physical, psychological and social consequences for adolescent girls and her off spring. Therefore, public health issues of concern because of the growing cultural and social sensitivity and controversy over reproductive health issues.Aim of the study: Studying mother age at marriage in association with different socioeconomic characters in the family, which might affect reproductive health of mothers.Subject & methods: A cross-sectional study conducted taking data obtained from 800 randomly selected healthy mothers, during their visits to five primary health centers, which selected randomly from different areas in Baghdad city; this done during the period from June- November 1994. Information from the mothers obtained using well-studied questionnaire form.Results: Significant relationship between mother's age at marriage and maternal education, birth interval, father age at marriage, number of pregnancies, under 5 years children in the family, crowding index, degree of consanguinity (P <0.001). Significant relationship found with father occupation, under 5 years death in the family (P <0.01). No significant relationship with number of abortion and type of family (P > 0.05) found.Conclusion: maternal age at marriage is an important determinant of reproductive health of women when it studied with different socioeconomic variables.Emphasis should be made on young people to have better access to health information schools, and the medical profession needs to work together both to provide information and to help young females to develop confidence to use available information sources.Key words: reproductive health