Ismat Bhuiya, MSc MPH, IPD, Population Council, House # CES (B) 21, Road # 118, Gulshan, Dhaka, 1212, Bangladesh, 880 2 882-1227, ibhuiya@pcdhaka.org

There are 33 million adolescents in Bangladesh. They do not have access to sexual and reproductive health information and services. Reproductive health education is non-existence in school curriculum. Adolescents’ sexuality is mostly controlled through marriage - 78% of girls married by age 18. Adolescent fertility is 144 births per 1000 women and 27% have unmet need for contraception. 60% of pregnant adolescents receive no antenatal care. On the other hand, rising age at marriage, rapid urbanization and greater opportunities for socialization have heightened the risk of STIs/HIV/AIDS and unwanted pregnancy among adolescents in Bangladesh.

A survey was conducted among 3,102 adolescents in urban areas to explore knowledge, attitude and behavior regarding sexual and reproductive health.

Survey results revealed that 70% of adolescents had knowledge of contraception while only 35% had knowledge of life-threatening risk of early pregnancy. 16% of adolescents were married. 57% of married female were pregnant and 38% pregnancy was unplanned. 205 unmarried adolescents had sexual experience. Of the sexually active males (192), 52% had sex with commercial sex workers and 56% of them had never used condom. Multivariate analysis was carried out and contraceptive behavior of adolescents was found to be associated with sources of information, knowledge of contraception, knowledge of condom and their parents' education. Findings also indicate that incorrect reproductive health information is the most important factors for risky sexual behavior.

Adolescents need urgent attention from Heath and Family Planning, HIV/AIDS, and Education programs of Bangladesh to improve their overall reproductive health.

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