State ranks fifth in pregnancies among teenagers

JAMSHEDPUR: Jharkhand has ranked fifth in the country with regard to the most number of teenage pregnancies, with the state recording 1.79 lakh such cases last year. Besides, tribaldominated Santhal Pargana region emerged as the worst-hit division by rampant teenage pregnancies in the state, according to a report by National Family Health Survey (NFHS).

As per the fourth round of the survey, or NHFS-4, 20 out of the 24 districts in the state have higher teenage childbearing prevalence, resulting in Jharkhand having 12% teenage pregnancy rate against the national average of 7.9%. This includes the state capital Ranchi as well as 15 other districts, which have also been categorised as ‘Aspirational Districts’ by NITI Aayog.

Deogarh has the highest rate of teenage pregnancy at 22.6%, followed by Godda 21.7%, Jamtara 17.5%, Pakur 17.2%, Dumka 14.8%, and Sahebgunj 13.5%. All of these districts come under the Santhal Pargana region, home to Jharkhand chief minister (CM) Hemant Soren and former CM Sibu Soren. The other districts following suit are Garhwa 18.9%, Giridih 16.2%, Seraikela-Kharsawan 14.8% and Koderma 14%.

According to experts at a workshop organised by Dasra Foundation, a philanthropic organisation, the issue is a major concern which needs urgent attention and action to ensure health and well-being of youths to combat challenges of teenage pregnancy and early

parenthood, resulting in adverse situation like missing out on education, early marriage, low nutritional status and lesser chances of productive employment or economic security as adults.

An extrapolation of the data of Census for Jharkhand and NFHS-4 shows that the state may have about 1.79 lakh cases of teenage pregnancy or childbearing in absolute terms out of its population of adolescent girls of 14.90 lakh in the age group of 15-19 years . Of this, 85% of the cases are estimated to be in rural Jharkhand at 1.52 lakh in absolute terms. The challenge of teenage pregnancy is exacerbated by lack of access and awareness to health care services among adolescents.

“Teenage pregnancies in India constitute a national emergency and need to be addressed with utmost urgency. Investment in adolescent health and well-being results in a 10-fold economic benefit and are vital for the progress towards achieving United Nation’s sustainable development foals,” said Dr Shobha Suri, Senior Fellow, Observer Research Foundation (ORF).

“There is a need to increase education among girls, as education is inversely proportionate to teenage pregnancies. The dire impact of Covid-19 on adolescents in terms of discounted schooling, lost livelihoods and mental health issues is quite huge. Going forward, there is a need to increase access to relevant information for adolescents, the community and service providers to address the issue of teenage pregnancies,” said Sumantra Mukherjee, State Head, Jharkhand Unit, Child in Need Institute (CINI)

A report by Dasra titled ‘Lost in Lockdown’ found that 12% NGOs working on ground reported that at least one girl in the area they serve had experienced unintended pregnancy that she desired to terminate, yet had difficulty in acquiring abortion services. Adolescent girls (15.5%) experienced more difficulties in obtaining contraceptive supplies than boys (14%), it said.

“Adolescent pregnancies led to young girls dropping out of schools with 65% of girls completing Class 8, while a mere 38% completing Class 10 despite efforts to bring them back to school after childbirth. Teenage pregnancy jeopardises girls’ maternal and mental health, malnutrition of mother and newborns, sexual disease, domestic violence, future education and employment opportunities,” the report stated, adding that over 50% of child malnutrition in the state were at birth directly correlated to maternal health and nutrition.