| Abstract: :: Meos has traditionally been agriculturist and their present cultural ethos reflects their agrarian traditions. Consequently, high fertility rates among them may reflect the community’s need to carryout a labor-intensive agricultural subsistence system. This study shows that, as a result of a strong patriarchal ideology characteristic of the north Indian agrarian culture, Meo women face considerable restrictions on their mobility and decision-making powers, which also hinders their access to health care services. Their poor health status can, in part, be attributed to their inability to seek timely and professional health care due to restrictions on their mobility.The study suggests that the practice of early marriage among the Meo often leads to early pregnancy, sometimes during late adolescence. This in turns leads to poor health status of both the mother and the infant due to what has been described in the health literature as “maternal depletion syndrome.” One could argue that the Meo might be experiencing a cycle of negative biological outcomes often influenced by cultural practices. | |
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