In a major relief for the health and women and child welfare departments, the district has recorded a steady decline in teenage pregnancies over the past five years.
According to data from the health department, teenage pregnancies dropped from 923 in 2020-21 to just 113 between April and December 2025. Across Karnataka, the numbers declined from 11,806 to 2,726 during the same period.
Consistent downward trend
Data presented by Women and Child Development Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar in the recently concluded Assembly session showed a consistent fall:
- 2021-22: 945 cases
- 2022-23: 731 cases
- 2023-24: 296 cases
- 2024-25: 175 cases
- April–Dec 2025: 113 cases
Though 113 remains the highest in the Old Mysuru region, officials see the overall trend as encouraging.
Other districts in the region have also witnessed similar declines. Chamarajanagar recorded a drop from 320 cases in 2020-21 to 19 in April–December 2025. Chikkamagaluru (249 to 54), Hassan (398 to 95), Kodagu (80 to 60), Mandya (558 to 48), and Shivamogga (246 to 56) also reported reductions.
Awareness and fall in child marriages
Experts attribute the improvement largely to a reduction in child marriages and increased awareness campaigns.
Dhananjaya, a former member of the Child Welfare Committee, said child marriage was a primary cause of teenage pregnancies. “With child marriages coming down, teenage pregnancies have also reduced,” he said.
He also highlighted the proactive role of doctors, who now alert senior officials whenever teenage pregnancies are detected during medical examinations. This early reporting mechanism has strengthened monitoring and intervention.
Officials believe sustained awareness drives, stricter enforcement of child marriage laws and community-level monitoring will further reduce the numbers in the coming years.