Reproductive health challenges of rural female adolescents in South Eastern Nigeria

Abstract

Objective: To determine the reproductive health challenges of female adolescents in a rural local government area of South Eastern Nigeria. Methodology: A cross-sectional study of 250 female students of schools within Aniocha local government area in South Eastern Nigeria was done. Multistage sampling technique was used in the selection of participants. Simple random sampling of towns and schools were done while stratified sampling of the various classes in the schools were done. Analysis was done using SPSS 26 Results: Two hundred and fifty females were studied with a mean age of 14 ± 2.01 years. Majority (82.8%) of them had attained menarche while 99.6% of students had a good understanding of puberty. The mean age of coitarche was 11 ± 3.3 years and modal age group being 12-14 years. 13. Four (1.2%) had been raped while 22 (8.8%) of the respondents had been sexually harassed. Of those who had engaged in sex, only 21.8% used contraceptives. Conclusion: Significant reproductive health challenges were present among female adolescents in the rural south Eastern Nigeria. There is still need for more sexuality education to prepare these young adolescents for a healthy sexual and reproductive life.