Awareness and Knowledge on Reproductive Health among Slum Living Young Women in Dhaka City, Bangladesh.

Abstract

Reproductive health refers to the disease, disorder and condition that affect the functioning of the male and female reproductive system during all stages of life. Menstruation and premenstrual symptoms, pregnancy and contraception, sexual transmitted diseases (STDs) and its prevention are also included in reproductive health. Disorders of reproduction include birth defect, developmental disorder, low birth weight, preterm birth, reduced fertility, impotence, and menstrual disorders. Awareness and practice towards reproductive health is very important to reduce the adverse consequences of reproductive health of the people, including the sexually transmitted disease. Therefore, this study was designed to assess the awareness and knowledge about menstruation, pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases among slum living young women in Dhaka City, Bangladesh. About 120 female respondents were included in this study. The study duration was eight months and the areas included in this study were Meradia, Aftabnagar and Nayapara, Dhaka city.In this study, it is shown that the age at the menarche was 10 to 11 years in 63% female. About 21% faced menarche at 12 to 13 years of age. The duration of their own menstrual cycle was counted by 68% female respondents. Around 79% female respondents could anticipate and predict the onset of menstruation as they had pre-menstrual symptoms like abdominal pain or cramp, joint and muscle pain or headache etc. More than 50% participants knew that contraceptive pill causes infertility in women. Approximately 63 % respondents knew that HIV is a sexually transmitted infection and 47% people heard about Gonorrhea as sexually transmitted infections. However, 21% respondents had no idea about sexually transmitted infections. In this study, 89% respondents had knowledge that the Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) can be prevented by using condom. It is also shown that 37% women knew that avoiding casual sex can prevent STIs. Further study is needed with a large sample size to determine the awareness, knowledge and attitude with reproductive health among slum living young women in Bangladesh.