Bangladesh 1993-1994 Demographic and Health ... - Measure DHS

Table 5.4 Age at furst marriagePercentage of women who were first married by exact age 15, 18, 20,according to current age, Bangladesh 1993-9422, and 25, and median age at first marriage,Percentage of women who wereMedianfirst married by exact age: Percent Number age atnever of firstCurrent age 12 15 18 20 22 25 married women marriage15-19 2.2 29.8 NA NA NA NA 50.5 2566 a20-24 7.0 47.2 73.3 82.1 NA NA 12.4 2321 15.325-29 8.1 53.5 80.7 89.2 93.7 97.1 2.2 2057 14.830-34 11.3 62.0 85.9 92.9 96.3 98.6 0.3 1460 14.235-39 12.0 70.4 91.3 95.5 97.3 99.0 0.3 1200 13.940-44 16.9 74.2 92.7 96.7 98.1 98.9 0.7 878 13.645-49 18.1 77.3 93.4 95.9 97.9 99.0 0.2 656 13.620-49 10.6 59.5 83.3 90.1 93.3 95.4 4.1 8572 14.425-49 11.9 64.1 87.0 93.1 96.0 98.3 1.0 6251 14.1NA = Not applicableaOmitted because less than 50 percent of the women in the age group x to x+4 were first married by age x.Table 5.5 presents the median age at first marriage by selected background characteristics for womenage 20-49 years. The table shows large differentials in marriage behavior patterns. It can be seen that in eachage group, urban women marry later than their rural counterparts, with an overall difference of more than oneyear in the median age at marriage among women 20-49 (15.4 vs. 14.3, respectively). Women in Rajshahiand Khulna Divisions have relatively early median ages at marriage, while those in Chittagong Divisionmarry the latest. These findings correspond with those from the 1991 CPS (Mitra et al., 1993:26).Table 5.5 Median age at first marriageMedian age at first marriage among women age 20-49 years, by current age and selected background characteristics,Bangladesh 1993-94Current age Women WomenBackground age agecharacteristic 20-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40-44 45-49 20-49 25-49ResidenceUrban 17.5 15.6 14.9 14.4 14.1 14.6 15.4 14.8Rural 15.1 14.7 i4.1 13.8 13.6 13.5 14.3 14.0DivisionBarisalChittagongDhakaKhuinaRajshahiEducationNo educationPrimary incompletePrimary completeSecondary/Higher15.3 15.0 14.7 13.8 13.5 13.1 14.4 14.116.0 15.4 14.7 14.5 14.1 14.4 15.0 14.715.1 14.7 14.3 13.8 13.6 13.5 14.3 14.015.6 14.4 14.2 13.4 13.0 13.3 14.1 13.714.5 14.3 13.6 13.7 13.5 13.2 13.9 13.814.3 14.3 14.0 13.7 13.4 13.4 13.9 13.814.7 14.4 14.1 13.6 13.7 13.7 14.1 13.915.3 15.3 14.1 14.3 14.1 (14.0) 14.7 14.518.9 16.7 15.5 16.0 15.5 (17.3) 17.1 16.1Total 15.3 14.8 14.2 13.9 13.6 13.6 14.4 14.1Note: The median for women 15-19 could not be determined because some women may still get married before reachingage 20. Figures in parentheses are based on 25 to 49 woman.75