Early marriage and spousal age difference: predictors of preconception health of young married women in Delhi, India

Purpose–This study aims to assess the associations of early marriage and spousal age difference(independent of early marriage) with reproductive and sexual health and autonomy in decision-making amongmarried women before conception.Design/methodology/approach–The present study was a part of a three-year community intervention toimprove the preconception health of young married women (20–35 years) in the West Delhi district of India.The six key outcomes assessed were: knowledge of reproductive health, discussions related to sexual health,history of anemia, use of contraceptives by women, frequency of consumption of meals per day and theautonomy in decision-making for household expenditures. Unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression modelswere used to explore the associations between the two key predictors (early marriage or spousal age difference),sociodemographic variables and six outcomes. The results were expressed as odds ratio (OR) and 95%confidence interval (CI). A total of 2,324 women, enrolled from four wards in the district using cluster-basedsampling, were interviewed.Findings–Around 17% of women were married by the exact age of 18, and 20% were elder or just one yearyounger than their husbands. Women who were married early had low reproductive health knowledge (OR(95% CI): 0.48 (0.38–0.60)) and a lower probability of expressing autonomy (OR (95% CI): 0.78 (0.62–0.97)).However, women older than men or younger by just one year in the married relationship had higherreproductive health knowledge (OR (95% CI): 1.25 (1.01–1.54)) than women younger than men more thantwo years.Originality/value–Under the umbrella of the preconception care domain, frontline workers shouldemphasize counseling girls and young women to marry late and delay the first pregnancy.KeywordsMaternal health services, Preconception care, Reproductive health, Women’s health, IndiaPaper typeResearch paper