Early Marriage, Early Childbearing and Female Height: Evidence from a Large Cross-Country Analysis

Gopika J Nair, Indian Institute of Technology Tirupati

Despite the concerted efforts to eliminate child marriages, globally, 19% of women (aged 20–24) are married before the age of 18. Child marriages are more prevalent in developing countries due to cultural norms and socio-economic poverty. Research from developing countries has confirmed the association between early marriage and pregnancy on female heights. This paper empirically analyses the association between child marriage, early childbearing, and female height using the Demographic Health Surveys (DHS) conducted in 66 developing countries, covering ever-married women who were born between 1950 and 1999. The methods of analysis include multivariate regression models controlling for individual, household-level, and aggregate country-level socio-economic and demographic variables. A statistically significant association was found between child marriage, early childbearing, and adult height. Women whose first birth was before age 18 are estimated to be (0.46 cm) shorter than those whose first birth was after 20 years. These results are robust to a number of confounding factors and also to alternative specifications. Additionally, we tested for the 'mortality selection hypothesis’. However, the findings give no evidence for the same. The research emphasises the need for action to eliminate early marriage and adolescent pregnancies and raise awareness about the adverse consequences of early pregnancies.

Keywords: Children, Adolescents, and Youth, Mortality and Longevity

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