• Akbori Khanum

It was a descriptive type of cross-sectional study carried out among 300 female secondary school students in an urban community during the period of January to December 2013 to assess the Knowledge regarding Reproductive Health. Information was collected by face-to-face interview and analysis was done by using SPSS version 17. The study revealed that the age was 15.01 years. The majority, 96% of the respondents were previously informed about puberty. Almost half, 51.3% opined that they got their first information from a textbook and only 1% from radio. More than half, 51.3% of the respondents were found to have good knowledge on physical changes during puberty, but only had good knowledge on menstrual hygiene 18.7% and only 9.7% from health consequences. Most, 93.7% of the respondents were found to perceive menstruation as a natural event. Knowledge on different events of reproductive health is above 40% like measures should be taken during menstruation period 84.4%, amount of meal needed 76%, Govt. approval age for marriage 88.7% and types of family planning methods 47%. More than half, 59% of the respondents could correctly mention the age of first pregnancy. Respondents could correctly mention the consequences of unsafe abortion 46.3%, complications of early pregnancy 45%, health effects due to lack of menstrual hygiene 37%, and knowledge on reproductive health problems 33.3%. Nearly half, 45% of the respondents were found to seek help from their mothers regarding the treatment of their reproductive health problems. The highest number, 34.2% of respondents mentioned academic discontinuation as the consequence of early marriage. More than one-third, 36.6% mentioned that facilities for safe menstruation regulation are available at the health clinic. Among all the respondents 37% mentioned that better accessibility of reproductive health information can be ensured by sharing with female family members. Only 43.7% have good knowledge of the prevention of STDs, and only 18.3% and 24% of respondents know the way of transmission correctly. More than half, 58.3% have the correct knowledge on the age of taking the tetanus toxoid vaccine. Only 32.0% and 1.3% were found to have the correct knowledge on doses and age of taking vaccine on tetanus toxoid and human papillomavirus respectively. There was a significant relationship between age and knowledge on reproductive health problems (P= 0.005).Educational intervention programs should be arranged for them as they will be a future mother.

Reproductive Health, Secondary School, Urban Community

"Knowledge Regarding Reproductive Health among the Secondary School Students in an Urban Community", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.9, Issue 1, page no.b662-b678, January-2022, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2201188.pdf

"Knowledge Regarding Reproductive Health among the Secondary School Students in an Urban Community", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.9, Issue 1, page no. ppb662-b678, January-2022, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2201188.pdf