Nurjahan

age 16, married at 14 or 15 in bangladesh

"I did not want to have a child so soon but I used to forget to take the pills."

"At first both my husband and my mother-in-law got angry, but later they told to me, 'whatever happens is good—after you have your child you can take the pills regularly.' But I was severely demoralized when I gave birth to a dead child."

Three months later Nurjahan got pregnant again and this time gave birth to a live daughter. "My husband always tells me that I should learn how to work from his mother, but I lack the will to work. If a person does not have any strength in her body, how can she enjoy working? I have lost all my strength from giving birth to two children at too young an age.

My mother-in-law does not want to understand this. She keeps telling me 'don't just sit idle and eat—do some work! Bring prosperity to the family!' Everybody is interested in the welfare of the family but no one pays any attention to my health."