The effect of reproductive health communication interventions on age at marriage and first birth in rural Bihar, India: A retrospective study

This paper describes the results of a survey of participants in an adolescent education program implemented by the PRACHAR project in rural Bihar. The intervention aimed to increase age at marriage and first birth.

Results from the survey show that the median age at marriage for females and for males was higher than in a comparison group, and the likelihood of having a first birth by the time of the survey was lower.

Culturally appropriate, community-based communication programmes that target unmarried adolescents and the people who influence their decisions can increase women’s age at marriage and age at first birth and contraceptive use among newly-married and low parity couples.