KATHMANDU, July 28 (Xinhua) -- At least 60 percent girls in Nepal got married before 18 years old as a result of which the occurrence of maternal deaths due to complications during child birth is one of great concern, local newspaper The Rising Nepal reported on Monday.

    The participants of a function held on Sunday in Lalitpur, to the south of Nepali capital Kathmandu, heard that there was high rate of maternal and child deaths as well as occurrence of complications during child birth in the country due to child marriage.

    The function was organized by the Gender Department of Family Planning Association of Nepal (FPAN).

    The function "Present Status of Child Marriage" was presented by Prof. Ram Sharan Pathak of Tribhuvan University that comparatively child marriage was found to be more in practice in Terai region in south Nepal.

    Child marriage at least between seven to 18 years old is still in practice and one fourth of these girls are pregnant.

    Legally marriage is allowed after 18 years of age with parental consent and after 20 years if the boy and girl choose to marry on their own.

    A research showed that 78 percent mothers in Nepal give birth at home and 53 percent of girls between 15 to 19 years of age do not take advice on topics like use of contraceptives and safe motherhood methods.

    The maternal mortality rate in Nepal at present is 281 per every 100,000 live births and the child mortality rate is 48 per 1,000 live births.