Department of Home Science, Govt.Auto Girls P.G. College of Excellence SAGAR (M.P.) India.
Abortion ,Parturition ,

The World Health organization (WHO) defines adolescents as persons between 10 and 19 years of age. They make up about 20 per cent of the world population (of whom 85 per cent in developing countries) (WHO 1998). Furthermore, adolescents are increasingly seen as ‘gateway to health’ because behavioral patterns acquired during this period tend to lead throughout adult life. Reproductive health was a key theme of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development. The Cairo Program of Action’s chapter on reproductive rights goes beyond the earlier World Populatio n Plan of Action in specifically underscoring the need to contend with the adolescent reproductive health issues of unplanned pregnancies, sexually transmitted disease, and unsafe abortion. The present study was undertaken to assess the knowledge, attitude and reproductive health care awareness among 341 school girls of Sagar city Madhya Pradesh. Study reveals that 18.7 percent girls are having information regarding premarital counseling. 66.2 percent girls accepted that guidance and counseling before marriage is necessary. 66.8 percent girls feel free to discuss about their sexual queries, 95.3 percent girls are in favor of sex education. Doctors (28.0 percent) and mothers (32.9 percent) should provide sex education. Most (99.4 percent) of the girls wish to seek the knowledge on different aspects of female reproductive health. 70.9 percent girls accepted that there is a need for adolescent clinic, which can diagnose the problems of youth. 76.2 percent girls accepted th at sex education at school or college level can easily enhance the knowledge of reproductive health. 34.6 percent girls are having information regarding ovulation. Only 21.2 percent girls had good idea of parturition, 48.6 percent girls had rough idea & 13.1 percent girls have no idea & 17.0 percent girls had not responded. Regarding opinion of girls regarding premarital sex, 10.8 percent agreed and 73.9 percent girls disagreed while 15.2 percent did not give any response. 65.1 percent girls correctly accepted that unwanted pregnancy can be avoided. Conclusion of the study is that there is a lack of knowledge among youth regarding some of the vital functions and process of their body and reproductive health, parents and teachers have lack of responsibility to cater the basic information regarding reproductive health

4 , 3 , 2014