Over 54% unwed mothers at GMCH minors: Report

Nagpur: A study by the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Nagpur, has brought to the fore a worrying trend of more than 54% of minor girls among unwed mothers coming to Central India's biggest tertiary care centre for treatment.

The report is based on pregnancy cases handled by the GMCH over a period of 18 months. Out of the total unwed mothers, 33% of the women opted for abortion, while 48% continued with the pregnancy.

Taking note of the rising number of teenage unwed mothers, GMCH medical superintendent Dr Avinash Gawande and two other faculty members commissioned a study. Out of the 124 cases studied, 67 unwed mothers were in the under-18 age group, which accounts for around 54%. As many as 30 such mothers were in the 18–21 group, 21 were in the 22–25 group, and only 6 were above 25 years.

The study, titled ‘Factors Affecting Pregnancy and Delivery in Unmarried Mothers: A Cross-Sectional Study Based on Previous Hospital Data from Central India,' was led by Dr Gawande along with Dr PB Raut and Dr UW Naralawar. The research was conducted between Jan 2023 and June 2024. The study data and insights were presented by Dr Gawande at the Indian Association of Preventive and Social Medicine conference (IAPSMCON) 2025 held in Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir, from April 11 to 13.

Dr Gawande said, "In a developing country like India, unwed pregnancy is not only a personal issue but also a serious social, familial, and healthcare concern. Due to societal stigma, many women fail to seek timely medical care, impacting both maternal and neonatal health."

He said that special rehabilitation schemes for unwed mothers, awareness campaigns, and adolescent sex education have become imperative. "Rather than hiding the issue, open dialogue and improving healthcare systems are the need of the hour," Dr Gawande said.

Dr Gawande pointed that there is an increasing trend of pregnancy in unmarried girls, especially in the adolescent population in India, and its adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes underscore the need for targeted evidence-based interventions, including rehabilitation.

"As per studies, birth outside of marriage is an increasing trend across the globe, and its percentage grew from 7.4% in 1970 to 41.5% in 2018 among the OECD (organisation for economic cooperation development) average of total births," Dr Gawande said.

"In India, a significant portion of pregnancies among unmarried women are either unintended or occur during adolescence, posing a serious social concern. This issue has profound implications for maternal and child health, particularly in developing countries," he said.

Dr Gawande said there is a dearth of studies as data regarding it is difficult to obtain due to the social stigma attached to the issue. Private hospitals too are not willing to share information, he added.