Brief

Poor nutrition weakens children’s immune systems, putting them at a greater risk of falling sick from preventable illnesses such as pneumonia and diarrhea. According to Horton et al. (2008), nearly one-fifth of under-five deaths in the world could be prevented with optimal feeding. Research also suggests that poor nutrition at a young age may have irremediable consequences for brain development, cognitive skills, and ultimately productivity in adult life. Unfortunately, a large share of children in the developing world are malnourished.

Young mothers often come from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds and early childbirths are more common in poor areas where prenatal care is limited and access to health facilities may be an issue. Girls who have children early also tend to be less educated and may suffer from lack of agency within the household, further reducing access to care. In addition, some girls who give birth early may not yet be ready physiologically to give birth. Statistically, children from young mothers are three percentage points more likely to die before five.

Children of young mothers are at higher risk of morbidity and under-five mortality. Young mothers often come from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds and early childbirths are more common in poor areas where prenatal care is limited and access to health facilities may be an issue. Girls who have children early also tend to be less educated and may suffer from lack of agency within the household, further reducing access to care. Statistically, children from young mothers are three percentage points more likely to die before five.

The relationship between child marriage and fertility could be due in part to the socio-economic and cultural context in which girls who marry early tend to live. But child marriage may also have a direct impact on fertility after controlling for socio-economic and cultural context. Marrying early is often associated with a lack of agency for girls, including in terms of access to family planning that could help delay or reduce births if women so desire.

In Nigeria, about one in eight children dies before the age of five; for children born of mothers younger than 18, the risk is higher. Controlling for socio-economic and other characteristics, being born of a mother younger than 18 increases the likelihood of dying before the age of five by five percentage points in the baseline model, as compared to otherwise similar children born of older mothers. 

In Nigeria, women who marry as children have on average 18-33 percent more births over their life time as compared to women marrying after the age of 18. Controlling for socio-economic and other characteristics, the average number of births per woman would be reduced by 0.72 births or about twelve percent if child marriage could be eliminated. This in turn would have a substantial effect on demographic growth. 

In Nepal, about one in nineteen children die before the age of five; for children born of mothers younger than 18, the risk is higher. Controlling for socio-economic and other characteristics, being born of a mother younger than 18 does not lead to a statistically significant increase in the risk of under-five mortality as compared to otherwise similar children born of older mothers.

In Niger, women who marry as children have on average 14-28 percent more births over their life time as compared to women marrying after the age of 18. Controlling for socio-economic and other characteristics, the average number of births per woman would be reduced by 1.10 births or about fifteen percent if child marriage could be eliminated. This in turn would have a substantial effect on demographic growth.

In Mozambique, one in ten children dies before the age of five; for children born of mothers younger than 18, the risk is higher. Controlling for socio-economic and other characteristics, being born of a mother younger than 18 increases the likelihood of dying before the age of five by five percentage points in the baseline model, as compared to otherwise similar children born of older mothers. 

In Mali, about one in eleven children die before the age of five; for children born of mothers younger than 18, the risk is higher. Controlling for socio-economic and other characteristics, being born of a mother younger than 18 increases the likelihood of dying before the age of five by seven percentage points in the baseline model, as compared to otherwise similar children born of older mothers.