Teen pregnancy rises in state amid national decline: Study
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, June 27 2025: Adolescent pregnancy remains a critical public health challenge in Northeast India, with Manipur experiencing a slight but concerning rise in teenage marital pregnancies even as the national average shows a decline.

This finding is central to a recent research article published in the National Journal of Community Medicine, which analysed data from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) to pinpoint key predictors of this enduring issue.

The study was conducted by a team of researchers comprising Dipankar Roy from the department of economics, Government Model Degree College, Borkhola; Avijit Debnath, Niranjan Roy, Shanku Paul, and Jayashree Das from the department of economics, Assam University, Silchar; Munmi Sarma from the department of economics, Nehru College, Pailapool; and Dipanjan Roy from the department of surgical oncology, Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences (RMLIMS), Lucknow.

The researchers underscored that early pregnancy, a global issue hitting lower and middle-income nations the hardest, carries severe implications for both young mothers and their newborns.

Risks range from higher rates of pre-term labour and low birth weight to increased infant mortality.

Beyond immediate health concerns, early pregnancies generally lead to school dropouts, curtailing future educational and employment opportunities and perpetuating cycles of poverty, thereby impeding broader economic development.

In Northeast India, specific factors like low-income levels, limited education, and deeply entrenched cultural beliefs encouraging early marriages compound the problem.

Furthermore, geographical barriers, such as challenging hilly terrain and underdeveloped transport infrastructure, complicate access to crucial healthcare services, intensifying the health risks associated with teenage pregnancies.

By analysing data from 17,382 married women aged 15 to 19, the study revealed notable spatial variations in teenage pregnancy rates across India.

While the national prevalence of adolescent pregnancy declined from 16.0 per cent in NFHS-3 (2005 06) to 6.8 per cent in NFHS-5 (2019-21), significant regional disparities persisted.

The Eastern region recorded the highest prevalence at 11.2 per cent in the latest survey, closely followed by the Northeast region at 8.3 per cent.

Despite a general decline across the Northeast, its relative position worsened, becoming the second-highest region for adolescent pregnancy incidence.

Within the North-eastern states, trends diverged sharply.

While several states made progress, Manipur, alongside Tripura, stood out for its troubling trajectory.

Manipur experienced a slight but definite rise in its teenage pregnancy rate over the period, increasing from 7.3 per cent in NFHS-3 to 8.6 per cent in NFHS-5 which, though seemingly modest, contrasts with the overall regional and national decline, underscoring a persistent challenge within the state.

Similarly, Tripura showed an even more dramatic upward trend, sharply increasing from 18.5 per cent in NFHS-3 to 22.0 per cent in NFHS-5.In contrast, states like Assam saw a decline from 16.4 per cent to 12.0 per cent.

Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim demonstrated substantial progress, with Sikkim recording the lowest incidence in the region at 3.1 per cent in NFHS-5, a significant drop from 12.0 per cent in NFHS-3.Mizoram, Meghalaya, and Nagaland also showed declining trends.

The study identified several key risk factors strongly associated with teenage pregnancy across the Northeast, which are particularly pertinent for states like Manipur facing rising rates.

Adolescents residing in rural areas were found to be 1.21 times more likely to experience early pregnancy compared to their urban counterparts, a factor likely influenced by poorer access to healthcare, education, and awareness campaigns in non-urban settings.

Religious affiliation also played a significant role, with Muslim adolescents 1.24 times more likely to experience marital pregnancy, a finding linked to underlying socio-religious conventions and varying access to reproductive health information.

Conversely, educational attainment emerged as the strongest protective factor; adolescents with higher education levels were 0.87 times less likely to experience early pregnancy, highlighting education's vital role in delaying marriage and promoting informed reproductive decisions.

Household wealth status was another critical determinant, with teenagers from poorer households 1.36 times more likely to experience early pregnancy, often compelled by economic strain.

The study also found that access to mass media acted as a protective factor, with adolescents having media exposure 0.88 times less likely to become pregnant, underscoring the positive influence of informational outreach.

Interestingly, caste or social group did not show a substantial impact on the risk of teenage pregnancy in the Northeast, suggesting that ethnic and cultural heterogeneity might be more influential than traditional caste stratification in the region.

To address these challenges, the study proposes a set of comprehensive policy recommendations.

These include enhancing adolescent sexual and reproductive health knowledge and service access in rural areas through youth-friendly services and age-appropriate sex education.

Furthermore, interventions should prioritise improving girls' education, especially for older adolescents who face a higher risk of early pregnancy, and empowering women through awareness programmes and skill development.

The study emphasises the critical need for a multi-sectoral response, involving collaboration across health, education, and social services, to effectively tackle teenage pregnancy and promote the overall well-being of youth in Northeast India, with particular attention to the unique challenges faced by states like Manipur.

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