Page 70 - IJPS-11-4

International Journal of
Population Studies Early marriage and infant mortality in SSA

association between early marriage and infant mortality results also indicate that efforts to improve infant mortality
was similar in magnitude in the unadjusted models for must include strategies to improve the socioeconomic
women who married before age 15 and those who married status of women by encouraging the education of girls,
at the age span of 15 – 17 years. It was hypothesized that enhancing their employment prospects, and encouraging
girls who are married before age 15 would bear children their participation in decision-making processes.
with worse health outcomes than those who married in Furthermore, we found that some of the selected
later adolescence (Kramer & Lancaster, 2010); however, our demographic and socioeconomic characteristics
results indicated a somewhat similar pattern in the risks of influencing child marriage are also predictors of infant
infant mortality of both groups. Nevertheless, our findings mortality. Poor socioeconomic status (SES) makes
were congruent with Kramer’s (2008) report that children early marriage an attractive option to parents, and their
whose mothers got married before age 18 (at <15 or 15-17) daughters could also predispose the children of child brides
exhibited a higher risk of death compared with those whose to unfavorable socioeconomic and health conditions. For
mothers were married as adults (aged 18+). The model that instance, if the hypothesis that girls could opt for early
considered age at marriage as a continuous variable also marriages in the attempt to liberate themselves from
indicates slight variations in the estimated effects of child the unfavorable conditions in their natal households is
marriage on infant mortality by the mother’s age at marriage.
correct, it is expected that children of child brides would
Numerous plausible reasons could be posited for also be somewhat disadvantaged by the poverty and poor
the high risk of death of children of child brides. Child socioeconomic status that pushed their psychologically
brides have a limited capacity for healthy childbearing unprepared and young mothers into early marriage.
and childrearing (Parsons et al., 2015; Raj, 2010). Scholars This study has some drawbacks. First, this study used
have argued that the risks of malnutrition, underweight, cross-sectional datasets, precluding a cause–effect analysis.
stunting, and wasting are generally high among children of
child brides (Kidman, 2017; Nour, 2006; Raj et al., 2010). A longitudinal study design could offer the opportunity to
Furthermore, children of child brides tend to have poor explore causality; however, such datasets are rarely available
access to adequate health care due to limited resources across SSA. Second, the studied datasets were not compiled
(Atuoye et al., 2015; Rutherford et al., 2010). The previous in the same year in all the selected countries. However, our
studies have also asserted that child marriage should not findings cannot be invalidated by this limitation because
always be viewed as a forced marital dyad; it is sometimes the changes in key reproductive health variables across SSA
a viable option for poor parents and their daughters due to were non-significant during the study period. Our study
the limited choices limited (Mobolaji et al., 2020; Schaffnit presents several strengths notwithstanding its limitations.
et al., 2019; Schaffnit et al., 2021). Therefore, we controlled First, our study utilized nationally representative data.
for proxy measures of women’s empowerment in this study. Second, the DHS program utilized a similar data collection
An analysis was conducted to compare the estimated effects methodology across countries, allowing us to effect cross-
of child marriage on infant mortality with and without country comparisons.
the inclusion of controls for women’s empowerment. 5. Conclusions
We assumed that controlling for women’s empowerment
would result in an insignificant association between This study established a higher risk of infant deaths in
the outcome and exposure variables if early marriage is children of child brides than in those of adult brides.
explained as the best available option due to women’s low However, this relationship became insignificant after
social status. A significant relationship was established controlling for indicators of women’s empowerment
between child marriage and infant mortality in Models 1 and other control variables. The study thus indicates
– 4; however, the relevant values became insignificant in that high socioeconomic status (improved education,
Models 5 – 7 after adjusting for proxy measures of women’s employment, and enhanced wealth status for girl children)
empowerment, education, occupation, and other control helps ameliorate poor health outcomes and mitigate
variables. These outcomes lend credence to the findings vulnerabilities in children of child brides. Therefore,
of previous studies that emphasize the crucial function of policies directed toward raising the educational status
the agency and autonomy of women in decision-making of girl children are a crucial strategy for improving child
related to their reproductive health (Budu et al., 2020; survival rates in SSA. We conclude that enhancing women’s
Sougou et al., 2020; Wado, 2018). The outcomes of our empowerment and increasing economic opportunities
study suggest that age at marriage is of little relevance to for women (such as their participation in the agriculture
infant mortality once women’s empowerment and other and formal employment sectors) will contribute to the
selected covariates are considered in the analysis. The reduction of infant mortality in SSA.

Volume 11 Issue 4 (2025) 64 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.2411