Abstract:Background: Efforts toward liberation of the girl-child from the shackles of early marriage have continued to be resisted through tradition, culture and religion in some parts of Nigeria. Objective: This study therefore examines the maternal health implications of early marriage on young mothers in the study area. Methods: Multistage sampling technique was employed to obtained data from 200 young mothers aged 15-24 years who married before aged 16 years. Findings: The study reveals that more than 60% had only primary education while more than 70% had experienced complications before or after childbirth. Age at first marriage, current age, level of education and household decision-making significantly influence (P<0.005) maternal health risks in the study area. The study establishes that respondents in age group 15-19 years are 1.234 times more likely to experience complications when compared with the reference category 20-24 years. Entitlements and freedom that are highly relevant to reduction of maternal mortality, provided by international treaties are inaccessible to young women in the study area. Conclusion: Strategies to end child marriage in the study area should include mass and compulsory education of girls, provision of other options to early marriage and childbearing and involvement of fathers in preventing and ending the practice.

The persistent power dynamics between men and women in most countries of Africa has continued to deny women necessary access to contraceptive. The study examines the impact of men’s involvement in contraceptive use and wellbeing among married women in Nigeria using DHS data. Two sets of data, NDHS 2008 & 2018 were used in this study. The selection of the samples was based on two-stage sampling techniques and the data for the study were analyzed using three levels of statistical method. The study reveals higher significant effect of men’s involvement on reproductive rights was affirmed while an inverse significant relationship was confirmed between male involvement in contraceptive use and years of schooling of women in the study The study concludes that changing behavioral attitudes of men toward family planning is therefore essential and urgent.