Adolescent Pregnancy

Question 1 What is a myth?

Question 2 What is a taboo?

Question 3 What is the legal age for the  marriage of girls?

Question 4 What is the legal age for the marriage of boys?

Question 5 State the various ways in which early marriage and motherhood is harmful to the girls?

Myths and taboos regarding Reproduction

A widely held but false belief is known as myth.

Something prohibited by social customs is called taboo.

(1) An important myth in the mind of many people is that mother is responsible for the sex of the child (male or female): This is absolutely wrong. It is the father who is responsible for the sex of the child born.

(2) An important taboo in the minds of many people is that a girl should not be allowed to work in the kitchen during the days of menstruation.: It is a natural process in girls. There is absolutely no harm if a girl works in the kitchen or goes out for work during the days of menstruation.

Adolescent Pregnancy

The formal union of a man and woman by which they become husband and wife is called marriage.

The legal age for marriage is 18 years for girls and 21years  for boys. The legal age for the marriage of girls has been fixed at 18 years because early motherhood causes a lot of problems for the young mother as well for the baby.

Some of the problems brought about by early marriage in girls leading to early motherhood are given below:

(1) The girls younger than 18 years of age are not prepared physically and mentally for motherhood.

(2) Early marriage and motherhood cause health problems in the mother and child.

(3) It cause extreme suffering to the girls as she is not prepared to fulfil the responsibility of motherhood involved in bringing up the baby.

(4) It reduces the chances of higher education in girls.

(5) It reduces the employment opportunities for the young girls.