Background: Efforts toward liberation of the girl-child from the
shackles of early marriage have continued to be resisted through
tradition, culture and religion in some parts of Nigeria. Objective:
This study therefore examines the maternal health implications of early
marriage on young mothers in the study area. Methods: Multistage
sampling technique was employed to obtained data from 200 young mothers
aged 15-24 years who married before aged 16 years. Findings: The study
reveals that more than 60% had only primary education while more than
70% had experienced complications before or after childbirth. Age at
first marriage, current age, level of education and household
decision-making significantly influence (P<0.005) maternal health
risks in the study area. The study establishes that respondents in age
group 15-19 years are 1.234 times more likely to experience
complications when compared with the reference category 20-24 years.
Entitlements and freedom that are highly relevant to reduction of
maternal mortality, provided by international treaties are inaccessible
to young women in the study area. Conclusion: Strategies to end child
marriage in the study area should include mass and compulsory education
of girls, provision of other options to early marriage and childbearing
and involvement of fathers in preventing and ending the practice