(i) The first indicator is ‘age at marriage in years (AAM)’. This
was dichotomised using a cut-off point of 18 years, where
AAM=0 if the marriage occurred before the age of 18 years,
and AAM=1 if the marriage occurred at the age of 18 years or
later. Marriage below the age of 18 years (i.e. early marriage)
is negatively associated with education and positively
associated with reproductive health problems such as noncontraception
and high fertility, early, unplanned and unwanted
pregnancies, shorter birth spacing and an increased risk of
maternal and infant morbidity and mortality including sexually
transmitted diseases [36-39].