Premarital sex and its association with child marriage among ever-married women: a study of national representative survey

Abstract

Background: Sexual engagement before marriage (premarital sex) can influence child marriage; however, the evidence is scarce in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), including Bangladesh. This study aimed to explore the association between premarital sex and child marriage among ever-married women aged 15-24 years. Methods: We analysed data of ever-married women aged 15-24 years after extracting from the 2017/18 Bangladesh Demographic Health Survey (BDHS). Premarital sex (yes, no) was the primary exposure in this study, and child marriage was the outcome variable. Multilevel mixed-effect logistic regression models were used to determine the extent to which premarital sex influences the occurrence of child marriage. Results: The prevalence of premarital sex and child marriage was 27% and 76.6%, respectively. Ever-married women who experienced child marriage had higher odds of reporting that they had engaged in premarital sex (aOR: 2.68; 95% CI: 2.20-3.26). The odds of premarital sex for women who experienced child marriage were higher in both urban (aOR: 2.67; 95% CI: 1.88-3.80) and rural areas (aOR: 2.69; 95% CI: 2.11-3.43). Child marriage was more common among women of relatively poor households who had premarital sex than those from other wealth quintiles. Conclusion: Premarital sex significantly impacts girls' child marriage in Bangladesh, and it varies greatly depending on the household's socioeconomic status. Expanding existing school and community-based programmes aimed at reducing girls' child marriage, abstinence from early premarital-sexual intercourse and context-specific multi-component interventions for at-risk young people may reduce these practices.