Re: Prophet Mohammed nine year old wife
But I am sure there are thousands of marriages of 9 years which occurred on the basis of accepting her age to be 9 year old … and such marriages do result in early pregnancy resulting in complications.
http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/341/facts.html
- Maternal Mortality: Girls younger than 15 are five times more likely to die during child birth or pregnancy than older women. Pregnancy-related deaths are the leading cause of mortality for girls aged 15 to 19 worldwide.
- Infant Mortality: Mortality rates for babies born to mothers under age 20 are almost 75% higher than for children born to older mothers. The children that survive are more likely to be premature, have a low birth weight, and are more at risk for contracting HIV/AIDS.
- Health Problems: Premature childbirth can lead to a variety of health problems for mothers, including fistula, a debilitating condition that causes chronic incontinence. Girls with fistula are often abandoned by their husbands and ostracized by society. There are approximately 2 million girls living with fistula, and 100,000 new cases every year.
- HIV/AIDS: Married girls may be more likely to contract sexually transmitted disease, including HIV/AIDS, than unmarried girls. Young girls are more physically susceptible to STD’s, have less access to reproductive education and health services and are often powerless to demand the use of contraception.
- Illiteracy: Child brides are often pulled out of school and denied further education. Their children are also more likely to be illiterate.
- Mental Health: Violence and abuse can lead to post-traumatic stress and depression.
Badriya Hassas, a gynecologist in Rabiya Balkhi Hospital in Kabul, says that shortly after being married, many young girls are admitted to hospital in a state of shock from serious physical injuries and psychological trauma.
“Some of these girls suffer irreversible physical damage,” Hassas tells RFE/RL. “They suffer from tearing and extensive bleeding. Besides, they usually come to hospital too late – after massive bleeding, and in a state of shock. We have personally seen many such cases.”