Child marriage and adolescent motherhood continue to remain a serious public health concern across multiple districts of West Bengal, with government data and field reports indicating significant regional disparities and persistently high prevalence in several rural blocks.
In Sitai, Tufanganj, and Mathabhanga areas of Cooch Behar, estimates suggest that one in every three to four marriages involves a bride below the age of 18, with a majority of such cases reportedly leading to pregnancy within a year. A similar pattern is observed in Bamangola, Habibpur, Harishchandrapur, and Kaliachak blocks of Malda, where child marriage and adolescent motherhood are said to occur in one out of every five to six marriages.
The situation is reported to be comparable in Suti, Shamsherganj, and Lalgola in Murshidabad, where the rate exceeds one in five. In West Medinipur, Sabang, Ghatal, Chandrakona, and Keshpur blocks report a ratio of around one in four, a trend mirrored in Murarai, Mohammadbazar, and Mayureswar blocks of Birbhum.
Officials and health experts have expressed concern over the continued prevalence of early marriage and teenage pregnancy, noting that while West Bengal performs relatively well on several broader health indicators, it remains among the states with higher rates of adolescent motherhood. While presenting a report linked to the government’s 100-day work programme, State Health Minister Sharadwat Mukherjee described teenage pregnancy as a major concern, stating that the state ranks among those most affected by the issue in the country. Health officials indicated that the concern reflects long-standing findings in government surveys and field-level assessments.
Data from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), conducted in 2019, showed that 16.4 per cent of adolescent girls aged 15–19 in West Bengal had already become mothers or were pregnant with their first child at the time of the survey. Preliminary findings from NFHS-6 (2024) suggest a marginal increase of 0.2 per cent, even as several other high-prevalence states recorded improvements during the same period. The national average stands at 6.8 per cent, placing West Bengal at more than double the national level and indicating that approximately one in every six adolescent girls in the state experiences motherhood before adulthood.
District-wise data highlights sharper disparities. Cooch Behar records the highest teenage childbearing rate in the state at 27.3 per cent, meaning more than one in four adolescent girls in the district becomes a mother during adolescence. The rate stands at 25 per cent in Birbhum and Paschim Medinipur, while comparatively lower figures are seen in Kolkata (4.9 per cent), Darjeeling (6.3 per cent), and Howrah (9.4 per cent). The contrast shows a significant urban-rural divide, with Cooch Behar’s rate nearly five and a half times that of Kolkata.
The Health Department has identified Malda, Murshidabad, parts of North Bengal, and selected areas of Paschim Medinipur as priority regions for targeted intervention. Authorities are focusing on expanding field-level outreach through Community Health Officers, doctors, and frontline health workers, alongside coordinated efforts with child protection systems to curb child marriage and reduce adolescent pregnancies.
Public health experts warn that teenage pregnancy is closely linked to child marriage, school dropouts, malnutrition, poverty, and in some cases, vulnerability to trafficking networks. Early pregnancy significantly increases risks such as maternal anaemia, hypertension, childbirth complications, premature delivery, and low birth weight in newborns, with long-term consequences for both mother and child.
Medical professionals further note that the impact extends beyond immediate health outcomes, often disrupting education and reducing future employment opportunities, thereby increasing long-term financial dependence. Early motherhood also raises the likelihood of repeated pregnancies at short intervals, deepening cycles of malnutrition and socio-economic vulnerability.
Experts emphasise that addressing teenage pregnancy requires a comprehensive approach beyond family planning, calling for integrated efforts involving education, social awareness, healthcare intervention, and stronger protection mechanisms to break the cycle of early marriage and adolescent motherhood.
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