<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><Articles><Article><id>72</id><JournalTitle>KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDE OF ADOLESCENT GIRLS TOWARDS REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND COUNSELLING</JournalTitle><Abstract>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 â€˜gateway to healthâ€™ 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 Actionâ€™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</Abstract><Email> anjana_nema@yahoomail.com</Email><articletype>Research</articletype><volume>4</volume><issue>3</issue><year>2014</year><keyword>Abortion,Parturition</keyword><AUTHORS>Anjna Nema</AUTHORS><afflication>Department of Home Science, Govt.Auto Girls P.G. College of Excellence SAGAR (M.P.) India.</afflication></Article></Articles>