UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS | GOVT WORRIED ABOUT TEEN PREGNANCIES | 29TH JULY | THE HINDU
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:
child marriage and
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.