SYLLABUS SECTION: GS II (SOCIAL ISSUES)

WHY IN NEWS TEEN PREGNANCIES?

High teenage fertility in some areas remains a cause of concern in India even as the fertility rate has stabilize across the country for Teen Pregnancies,

The Health Ministry said in its Family Planning Vision-2030 document release.

KEY FINDINGS:

• It adds that participation of men will be encourage in the family planning program.
• Lack of access to contraceptives had been identify as a priority challenge area.

• Multiple factors have been identifies which explains the low contraceptive,
• Use among marry adolescents and young women, two most important factors are:
  1. child marriage and
  2. teenage pregnancy
  • From NFHS-4 to NFHS-5, India witness an impressive improvement in contraceptive use and unmet need,
  • But decline in teenage childbearing was minimal – 7.9% in 2015-16 to 6.8% in 2019-21.
  • 118 districts reports high percentage of teenage pregnancies and are mostly concentrate in Bihar (19), West Bengal (15), Assam (13), Maharashtra (13), Jharkhand (10), Andhra Pradesh (7), and Tripura (4).
  • Over 44% of the districts in India reported high percentage of women marrying before they reach the age of 18.
  • These districts were in Bihar (17), West Bengal (8), Jharkhand (7), Assam (4), two each in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra.
  • Private sector contributes 45% share of pills and 40% share of condoms. For other reversible contraceptives like injectables, the share is 30% and 24% for IUCD.” Sterilization was mostly done by the government sector.

Read more: UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS

SOURCE: THE HINDU