Physical Effects
Marrying girls at early ages is an honor and respect for their families because it protects their virginity and chastity; if they stayed unmarried longer, the parents fear that the girls might get sexually assaulted or raped. When girls are married at a younger age, they face consequences related to reproductive, development, and their general health. They are pressured to prove that they can conceive children, especially sons; proving their fertility means they have to have sex when they are at a very young age, which is unhealthy and causes very bad impact on their reproductive health.
The reproductive health consequences include, early and frequent pregnancy, and once they lack the ability to bear the child, they go through an abortion, which damages them and the child’s well being. Child marriage leaves girls with lack of control over their reproductive health and when to have sex and children; they are forced to get pregnant while having undeveloped bodies, which makes it very hard to bear children safely and both the girls and children are put at a greater risk of life-threatening consequences, even death.
Child marriage contributes to Afghanistan having the second highest maternal mortality rate in the world with 24,000 child deaths each year. So, child marriage puts a lot of pressure on the girls' undeveloped bodies to become pregnant and bear children early. Similarly, once the children are born, they sometimes end up dying or having undeveloped bodies. The parents and the communities in South Asia have to be educated because they are unaware of the consequences of marrying their children before their bodies are fully developed.
Not only are girls exposed to physical consequences, but to health related illnesses. The older the men they marry, the higher the chance that they are exposed to diseases like HIV and AIDS because the men have high chances of going through unprotected sex with other partners before marrying them. In conclusion, the girls are more vulnerable of contracting life-threatening diseases.
The reproductive health consequences include, early and frequent pregnancy, and once they lack the ability to bear the child, they go through an abortion, which damages them and the child’s well being. Child marriage leaves girls with lack of control over their reproductive health and when to have sex and children; they are forced to get pregnant while having undeveloped bodies, which makes it very hard to bear children safely and both the girls and children are put at a greater risk of life-threatening consequences, even death.
Child marriage contributes to Afghanistan having the second highest maternal mortality rate in the world with 24,000 child deaths each year. So, child marriage puts a lot of pressure on the girls' undeveloped bodies to become pregnant and bear children early. Similarly, once the children are born, they sometimes end up dying or having undeveloped bodies. The parents and the communities in South Asia have to be educated because they are unaware of the consequences of marrying their children before their bodies are fully developed.
Not only are girls exposed to physical consequences, but to health related illnesses. The older the men they marry, the higher the chance that they are exposed to diseases like HIV and AIDS because the men have high chances of going through unprotected sex with other partners before marrying them. In conclusion, the girls are more vulnerable of contracting life-threatening diseases.
Pregnancy and childbearing for millions of young girls has caused many health consequences because their bodies are not fully developed.
HIV in is becoming a problem. The young girls marry older men that have had previous marriages. Some of them carry HIV. The girls are abandoned and die unable to pay for medication. Their bodies fall weak and they are unable to take care of their children.