Rising Teen Pregnancies in KKR Worry Policy Makers

6,008 teenage pregnancies reported in region in less than 1-year period

- Ramakrishna Badseshi @Kalaburagi

Vast swathes of rural and remote areas of Kalyana Karnataka Region lag behind in development due to poor living standards, lack of infrastructure and industrial underdevelopment. Experts say Kalyana Karnataka is backward also due to historical neglect.

High number of teenage pregnancies in the region is a clear testimony to this fact, showing mirror to elected representatives and officials.

Reports of 6,008 teenage pregnancies, one of the most serious public health issues, in the districts of Kalyana Karnataka Region in less than one-year period (From April 1, 2024 to February 15, 2025) have stunned everybody as the statistics suggest prevalence of high number of child marriages in the region.

As per the statistics available in the RCH portal, 1,648 teenage pregnancies were reported from Raichur of Kalyana Karnataka which is the third highest figure in Karnataka, Bengaluru-Urban has the highest of 2,723 teenage pregnancies and Belagavi has 2,622 teenage pregnancies in this period.

Numbers tell it all Bidar district has reported 851 teenage pregnancies in this period, followed by 850 in Ballari district, 822 in Kalaburagi district, 819 in Yadgir district, 617 in Koppal district and 401 teenage pregnancies in Vijayanagara district.