Among the four cohort studies under AdSEARCH, the newlywed couple cohort study in Bangladesh has revealed evidence on early marriage, intimate partner violence (IPV), and high rates of mistimed pregnancies in selected rural areas and urban informal settlements of Bangladesh.
Supported by Global Affairs Canada (GAC), the study titled “Understanding the context and needs related to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) among newlywed couples in selected rural and urban areas of Bangladesh” was the first longitudinal study in the country to follow newlywed couples from both rural areas and urban informal settlements through their early years of marriage.
According to the key findings, among the participating women, 43% in rural areas and 65% in urban informal settlements were married before the age of eighteen. Within the first year of marriage, nearly three-quarters (73%) of women became pregnant, despite many women, particularly those living in urban informal settlements, expressing a clear desire to delay childbearing.
The study recorded a high rate of mistimed pregnancies at 47%. Urban participants were more than three times higher than rural participants in reporting mistimed pregnancies. On intimate partner violence, the study revealed that, within the first six months of marriage, four in five women reported experiencing controlling behaviours from their husbands.
Over the two-year study period, more than half of the women experienced economic violence, while a substantial proportion reported emotional, physical, and sexual violence. Contraceptive use showed an initial rural–urban difference, higher among urban couples and lower among rural ones, but stabilised across both groups after roughly eighteen months of marriage. This pattern reflected a strong tendency among newlyweds to conceive early. Marital satisfaction also shifted over time. At the beginning of the study, men reported higher satisfaction levels than women.
Satisfaction declined steadily for both and eventually plateaued, although the decline among men was steeper. This study was conducted from December 2022 to December 2024 at four Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) sites of icddr,b: Chakaria and Matlab in rural areas, and Mirpur and Korail slums in urban informal settlements. A total of 666 newlywed couples were enrolled, all in their first marriage, married for less than six months, and with no history of pregnancy. Couples were followed every four months, resulting in six rounds of data collection over two years.
The dissemination event was opened by Anisuddin Ahmed. Dr Shams El Arifeen delivered the vote of thanks. The event concluded with a panel discussion moderated by Dr Ahmed Ehsanur Rahman, featuring Dr Md Rafiqul Islam Talukder, Dr Shah Ali Akbar Ashrafi, Professor Sameena Chowdhury, and Dr Rokhsana Yasmin. Edward Cabrera, the First Secretary (Development – Health) at the High Commission of Canada, Global Affairs Canada, gave his remarks at the event. The study was led by Dr Fauzia Akhter Huda, one of the theme leads of AdSEARCH, and Scientist, MCHD, icddr,b.
Major Attendees (chronology as appeared in the news):
Anisuddin Ahmed, Project Coordinator, AdSEARCH and Associate Scientist, icddr,b
Dr Shams El Arifeen, Project Director of AdSEARCH and Senior Scientist (emeritus),icddr,b
Dr Ahmed Ehsanur Rahman, Technical Coordinator, AdSEARCH and Scientist, icddr,b
Dr Md Rafiqul Islam Talukder, Line Director, CCSDP, DGFP
Dr Shah Ali Akbar Ashrafi, Health Sector Improvement Advisor, Bloomberg Data for Health Initiative Professor Sameena Chowdhury, Former President, OGSB
Dr Rokhsana Yasmin, Technical Officer, HIV, STI and HGBV, UNFPA Bangladesh
Tarana-E-Ferdous, Assistant Scientist, MCHD, icddr,b
Syed Hassan Imtiaz, Research Investigator, MCHD, icddr,b