Early marriage causes decreased growth and development in children under the age of three

Abstract

Introduction: The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between early marriage and child development. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on a population of mothers with children <3 years old. The subjects of this study are mothers with children aged 3–36 months, who know their age at first marriage, are not currently divorced, and are willing to engage in the study. Results: There is a relationship between early marriage and impaired child growth and development. Conclusions: It was concluded that early marriage affects the growth and development of children <3 years old. Thus, the government or society needs to make efforts to prevent early marriage through the right approach in Indonesia.