A recent study conducted by the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Nagpur, has uncovered a deeply concerning trend: more than 54% of unwed mothers seeking treatment at Central India’s largest tertiary care hospital are minor girls under the age of 18.
The findings are based on an 18-month study of pregnancy cases handled at GMCH, and were presented at the Indian Association of Preventive and Social Medicine Conference (IAPSMCON) 2025, held in Srinagar from April 11 to 13, as reported by The Times of India.
The study reviewed 124 cases of unwed pregnancies between January 2023 and June 2024. Of these, 67 girls were under 18, which accounts for around 54%. As many as 30 mothers were between 18–21 years, 21 between 22–25 years, and only 6 women were older than 25. Out of the total unwed mothers, about 33% of unwed women opted for abortion, while 48% chose to continue with the pregnancy.
Social and Medical Concerns
Commissioned by Dr. Avinash Gawande, GMCH Medical Superintendent, along with Dr. P.B. Raut and Dr. U.W. Naralawar, the study titled “Factors Affecting Pregnancy and Delivery in Unmarried Mothers” highlights the rising number of teenage pregnancies among unwed mothers in Central India.
“In a developing country like India, unwed pregnancy is not just a personal matter — it’s a serious social, familial, and healthcare challenge,” said Dr. Gawande. “The stigma around such pregnancies often leads to delays in medical intervention, affecting both maternal and neonatal outcomes.”
Dr. Gawande emphasized the urgent need for special rehabilitation schemes for unwed mothers, awareness campaigns, and adolescent sex education. “Rather than hiding the issue, open dialogue and improving healthcare systems are the need of the hour,” he added.
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A Growing Global Trends
Dr. Gawande also highlighted that the trend is not isolated to India. Globally, births outside of marriage have risen sharply — from 7.4% in 1970 to 41.5% in 2018 across OECD nations.
“In India, a significant share of unwed pregnancies are unintended and occur during adolescence. This is a serious social issue with deep health implications,” he said, adding that data on this sensitive topic is hard to obtain due to social stigma and reluctance from private hospitals to share records.
