ISLAMABAD: A new multi-country study has found that women who give birth before 18 years of age are economically impacted for life.

The study, conducted by the Population Council in collaboration with Women Deliver, found a strong and consistent lifelong negative association between giving birth before the age of 18 and the woman’s economic empowerment.

The Population Council confronts critical health and development issues. Established in 1952 and headquartered in New York, the council is a nongovernmental, nonprofit organisation governed by an international board of trustees.

According to a statement, the report was launched on Thursday at the Women Deliver 2019 conference, the world’s largest conference on gender equality and the health, held at Vancouver, Canada.

New study says despite global declines, adolescent childbearing still remains common in many low- and middle-income countries

“The ability to earn and control cash represents more than just earnings - it influences a woman’s ability to make strategic life choices,” said Stephanie Psaki, deputy director of the Population Council’s Girl Center. “This is one of the first studies to show consistently across so many countries and settings that having a child early can impact future earning potential.”

Drawing from nationally representative demographic and health survey data in 43 low- and middle-income countries, representing more than 600 million women, the analysis found that “Childbearing before age 18 is widespread. Despite global declines in the rates of adolescent childbearing in the last 25 years, the study found that it remains common in many low- and middle-income countries.”

“Women who have a child before age 18 are less likely to earn cash for their work throughout their lives. More specifically, women (aged 20–24) who have a child before age 18 are more likely to be employed in the short term. However, they are less likely to earn cash in the short-term and throughout their reproductive lives,” it states.

“Most women work but whether they are paid for their work differs. In many countries, women do not have control over their own earnings. In the majority of countries studied, most women work however whether they are paid for their work or not varies widely as does their ability to control their earnings,” it states.

“The study examines complex issues but the implications are simple - in order to move the needle on gender equality, women need to be able to control their own fertility and their own earnings,” said Katja Iversen, President/CEO of Women Deliver.

“We need societal investment in access to modern contraception, safe abortion, and comprehensive sexuality education, as well as in expanding economic opportunities for all girls and women.”

The analysis used the newest available demographic health survey data (2012–2018) from 43 countries and included all women aged 20–49, allowing for nationally representative findings that are comparable across countries and over time. Few studies have considered the short- and long-term effects that a birth before age 18 have on women’s earning potential.

Researcher at the Population Council Pakistan Dr Ali Mir told Dawn that same was the situation in Pakistan and women who delivered babies before 18 suffered with a number of health issues.

“Moreover, a number of health issues are also involved because anatomical development [development of bones] is not completed due to which not only mothers suffer but the chances of death of neonatal also increases,” he said.

Dr Mir suggested that the deliveries before 18 should be discouraged as they become a reason for a number of complications for mothers and neonatal.

Published in Dawn, June 8th, 2019