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

The age at which women in Bangladesh have their first child is steadily increasing, in line withincreases in age at marriage. For example, in 1975, the median age at first birth among women age 20-24was 16.8; in 1989, it had risen to 18.0 and by 1993-94, to 18.3 (Huq and Cleland, 1990:92). Increases ofsimilar magnitude have occurred for women of other age groups.Differentials in median age at first birth as reported in the 1993-94 BDHS are shown in Table 3.13.Urban women start childbearing later than rural women; the median age at first birth is 18.5 for urban womenand 17.6 for rural women age 20~19. Women in Chittagong Division generally have higher median ages atfirst birth than women in the other divisions, while women in Rajshahi generally have the lowest median agesat first birth. Women with secondary education start childbearing later than those with less or no education.Among women age 20-49, the median age at first birth is 17.3 for women with no education and 19.9 forwomen with at least some secondary education.Table 3.13 Median age at first birthMedian age at first birth among women age 20-49 years, by current age and selected background characteristics, Bangladesh1993-94BackgroundCurrent ageAges Agescharacteristic 20-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40-44 45-49 20-49 25-49ResidenceUrban a 18.3 18.0 17.6 17,7 17.9 18.5 18,0Rural 18.1 17.8 17.6 17.3 16.8 17.2 17,6 17.4DivisionBarisal 18.4 17.8 18.2 17.1 17,0 17.0 17.7 17.6Chittagong 18.9 18.2 17.8 17.9 17.2 18.1 18,1 17.9Dhaka 18.2 17.9 17,6 17.1 16.9 17.1 17.6 17,4Khulna 18.5 17.7 18,3 16.8 16,7 16.9 17.7 17.3Rajshahi 17.7 17.6 17,2 17.2 16.4 17.0 17.3 17.2EducationNo education 17.5 17.5 17,7 17.2 16.7 17.2 17.3 17.3Primary incomplete 17.5 17.4 17,4 16.7 16.9 17.2 17.3 17.2Primary complete 18.4 18.3 17,0 17.3 16.7 (17.4) 17.7 17.5Secondary/Higher a 19.5 18,4 18.7 18.5 (18.9) 19.9 18.9Total 18.3 17.9 17,7 17.3 16.9 17.3 17.7 17.5Note: The medians for cohort 15-19 could not be determined because half the women have not yet had a birth.aMedians were not calculated for these cohorts because less than 50 percent of women in the age group x to x+4 had hada birth by age x. Figures in parentheses are based on 25 to 49 women.3.8 Teenage FertilityEarly childbearing, particularly among teenagers (those under 20 years of age) has negativedemographic, socioeconomic and sociocultural consequences. Teenage mothers suffer particularly fromsevere complications during delivery, which result in higher morbidity and mortality for both themselves andtheir children. In addition, the socioeconomic advancement of teenage mothers, in the areas of educationalattainment and accessibility to job opportunities, may be curtailed.36