Karnataka is grappling with a severe public health challenge as recent official figures expose an alarming surge in teenage pregnancies across the state. This disturbing trend, impacting thousands of young girls, not only threatens their immediate health and education but also creates long-term social and economic burdens for families and the wider community. The rapid increase places immense pressure on already stretched healthcare services and demands urgent, coordinated efforts from government agencies and local communities to protect these vulnerable adolescents and address the complex factors fueling this growing crisis.
The Current Situation
Karnataka is currently facing a serious challenge with a high number of pregnancies among young girls. Latest figures show that between April 2024 and February 2025, there were 25,436 reported cases of teenage pregnancies. This follows a period where the state recorded 28,657 cases of girls under 18 becoming pregnant from January to November 2023. Looking at a broader timeframe, Karnataka saw 33,621 teenage pregnancies reported between 2021-22 and 2023-24. Overall, more than 80,000 underage pregnancies were reported in Karnataka from January 2020 to December 2023.
Certain areas within the state show higher rates of these cases. Bengaluru Urban has consistently reported the highest numbers, with 4,324 cases between 2021-22 and 2023-24. Recent data also shows Bengaluru Urban leading with 2,723 cases. Other districts with a large number of cases include Vijayanagar, Ballari, Belagavi. Mysuru. Disturbingly, some reports include pregnancies in girls as young as nine years old.
While the National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-5 report from 2019-20 suggested a decline in teenage pregnancies, stating that 5. 4% of young women aged 15-19 were already mothers or pregnant, more recent data indicates the problem remains significant.
Why This Is Happening
Several factors contribute to the high number of teenage pregnancies in Karnataka. One of the main reasons is child marriage, which is still practiced despite being illegal. Officials state that child marriages are responsible for almost 70% of teenage pregnancies. some reports suggest this figure could be as high as 90%. These marriages often happen with the consent of older family members.
Poverty is another major cause, especially affecting girls from economically disadvantaged families in rural areas. Lack of education, especially about reproductive health and family planning, leaves young girls unprepared. Some cases also arise from sexual assaults and a general lack of sexual awareness.
The widespread use of the internet and social media is also a significant concern. Experts, including the Chairman of the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR), have highlighted how social media influences teenagers’ decisions, sometimes leading to early relationships and unplanned pregnancies. Women and Child Welfare Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar has also pointed to the “digital exposure trap” where platforms like Instagram and WhatsApp are used to form early relationships, potentially leading to exploitation. Unmonitored online content can shape young minds quickly.
Family instability, a lack of open communication between parents and children about sexual health. teenagers imitating risky behaviors from their friends are also contributing factors. Some officials have also acknowledged negligence by staff in girls’ hostels, which has led to unwanted pregnancies.
Impact on Young Lives and Health
Early pregnancies have severe consequences for the young mothers and their babies. Girls who become pregnant at a young age face significant health problems because their bodies are not fully ready for childbirth. This can lead to complications during pregnancy and delivery.
“Physically, these girls are not ready for pregnancy. Hence, usually, the delivery will be complicated as their pelvic joints and hip bone are not flexible enough,” said Dr. Hemavathi Srinivasan, a practicing gynecologist in fetal medicine.
Specific health risks for teenage mothers include a higher chance of developing high blood pressure during pregnancy (pregnancy-induced hypertension), serious infections. inflammation of the uterus after childbirth. Studies have shown a higher incidence of pre-eclampsia and eclampsia among teenage mothers. Many teenage mothers are also found to be short in height and underweight, which can further complicate pregnancy.
For the babies, there is a higher risk of being born with low birth weight, being born too early (preterm birth). suffering from conditions like birth asphyxia and sepsis.
| Complication | Teenage Mothers (Example Study) | Adult Mothers (Example Study) |
|---|---|---|
| Low Birth Weight Rate | 35. 85% | 28. 03% |
| Preterm Birth Rate | 25. 66% | 22. 38% |
| Birth Asphyxia Rate | 11. 57% | Not specified. lower |
Beyond physical health, teenage pregnancies severely impact a girl’s education, future job opportunities. overall life. They often face social rejection, negative judgments. even violence from close family members, which adds to their social, physical. mental problems. Emotionally, these young mothers are often not ready to take on the responsibility of raising a child, which can affect the child’s growth and well-being. In some tragic cases, young girls have died by suicide. The male partners, often also young, can face jail time for child marriage and sexual offenses.
Steps Being Taken
The Karnataka government and various groups are actively working to address the rise in teenage pregnancies. In April 2024, the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah ordered the creation of a central task force. This task force includes officials from seven different departments: Women and Child Development, Health and Family Welfare, Primary and Secondary Education, Social Welfare, Backward and Minority Welfare, Department of Tribal Welfare. Home. The goal is to work together to prevent these cases at the local level and strictly apply the relevant laws.
The task force has specific duties, such as improving the spirits of these young women, keeping a close watch on students who are absent from school for long periods. ensuring that girls’ hostels have strict camera monitoring and monthly health checkups. There is also a plan to create a new central system to record insights about current incidents and track efforts to prevent pregnancies.
Awareness is a key focus. The government plans to expand awareness programs in the 2025-26 school year, working with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the KSCPCR. These programs aim to educate parents and children about physical development, self-defense, child marriages. harmful social practices, sometimes using media to explain things simply.
A new police initiative called ‘Akka Force’ was launched statewide on August 15, 2025. This force involves women police officers and National Cadet Corps (NCC) volunteers who will patrol public places like parks and bus stands. Their job is to prevent child marriages, which often lead to early pregnancies. to counsel young couples. Committees with members from different departments are also required at the village, sub-district. district levels to identify cases and provide help quickly. Helplines, such as 1098, are available 24 hours a day. schools are increasing their workshops on reproductive health.
Health workers, known as Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), are also counseling families to encourage healthy spacing between children. Existing government programs like ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao,’ Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), ‘Mathrupoorna Programme,’ and ‘Pradhana Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana’ also aim to improve child health, nutrition. the well-being of pregnant and nursing mothers.
Views from Those Involved
Child rights activists and experts emphasize that preventing teenage pregnancies requires a broad effort. Many point out that reporting systems for child marriages have not worked well, suggesting that the true number of cases might be much higher than reported.
“The reporting mechanism for child marriages has completely collapsed. There may be many more cases than those reported as is clear from the data,” explained Vasudev Sharma, executive director and trustee of Child Rights Trust.
Activists are calling for the creation of child protection watch committees at the local level to quickly report child marriages. They also stress the need for dedicated officers in each district to prevent child marriages. There is a strong call for better awareness about laws like the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Juvenile Justice Act among high school students, parents. teachers.
Experts believe that while government actions are essential, addressing deeper social causes like poverty, lack of proper education. unchecked access to harmful online content is also vital. Stakeholders also suggest that young people need training to develop skills related to sexual knowledge, how to say no. understanding right and wrong. They also highlight the need for teachers to receive training on full sexual education and for families to improve their discussions about sexual health and development at home.
Some child rights experts have expressed concern that the pandemic might have weakened efforts to prevent child marriages and teenage pregnancies, calling for new surveys to comprehend the current situation better.
