Marphatia, A;
Busert-Sebela, L;
Manandhar, DS;
Reid, A;
Cortina-Borja, M;
Saville, N;
Dahal, M;
... Wells, JCK; + view all
(2024)
Generational trends in the transition to womanhood in lowland rural Nepal: Changes in the meaning of early marriage.
American Journal of Human Biology
, Article e24088. 10.1002/ajhb.24088.
(In press).
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE: In South Asia, studies show secular trends toward slightly later women's marriage and first reproduction. However, data on related biological and social events, such as menarche and age of coresidence with husband, are often missing from these analyses. We assessed generational trends in key life events marking the transition to womanhood in rural lowland Nepal. METHODS: We used data on 110 co-resident mother-in-law (MIL) and daughter-in-law (DIL) dyads. We used paired t-tests and chi-squared tests to evaluate generational trends in women's education, and mean age at menarche, marriage, cohabitation with husband, and first reproduction of MIL and DIL dyads. We examined norms held by MILs and DILs on a daughter's life opportunities. RESULTS: On average, MIL was 29 years older than DIL (60 years vs. 31 years). Both groups experienced menarche at average age 13.8 years. MIL was married at average 12.4 years, before menarche, and cohabitated with husbands at average 14.8 years. DIL was simultaneously married and cohabitated with husbands after menarche, at average 15 years. DIL was marginally more educated than MIL but had their first child on average 0.8 years earlier (95% CI -1.4, -0.1). MIL and DIL held similar norms on daughters' education and marriage. CONCLUSION: While social norms remain similar, the meaning of "early marriage" and use of menarche in marriage decisions has changed in rural lowland Nepal. Compared to DIL, MIL who was married earlier transitioned to womanhood more gradually. However, DIL was still married young, and had an accelerated trajectory to childbearing.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | Generational trends in the transition to womanhood in lowland rural Nepal: Changes in the meaning of early marriage |
| Location: | United States |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.1002/ajhb.24088 |
| Publisher version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajhb.24088 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | © 2024 The Authors. American Journal of Human Biology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > Institute for Global Health UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > UCL GOS Institute of Child Health UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > UCL GOS Institute of Child Health > Population, Policy and Practice Dept |
| URI: | https://discovery-pp.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10191580 |
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