Knowledge and Perception about Family Life Education and Reproductive Health Issues among Unmarried Adolescent Women of Rural India: Evidences from DLHS 3

Rajiva Prasad, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)

Providing knowledge about family life education (FLE)/ reproductive health to unmarried women is an Indian taboo. DLHS 3 collected information on FLE/ reproductive health issues among rural unmarried adolescent Indian women. One third women had high school and above education, two third were Hindus and one third other backward classes. Two third women were aware of FLE, three fourth perceived FLE important, 43 percent received FLE, while one third perceived right age for introducing FLE as 15 -17 years; three fourth opined proper place as school/ college and right time as Std. 8 or 9. One fourth women thought that they could get pregnant during very first sexual intercourse. During menstruation four fifth women had painful periods and used cloth/ locally made napkins. Logistic regression indicated that awareness and perception that FLE was important was more among educated/ richest women who had ever received FLE and practiced more menstrual hygiene.