Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #117877

Sousan Parsay, PhD, Department of Social Medicine and Public Health, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Evin, Tehran, Iran, (98)(21)895-9277, shizarnahidi@yahoo.com and Farnaz Vahidnia, MD, MPH, Bixby Program in Family Planning, Maternal Health, and Reproductive Health, University of California at Berkeley, 1213 Tolman Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720-1690.

Knowledge and awareness of reproductive health and family planning is an essential tool for developing a healthy relationship in young and newly-wed couples. Nonetheless, Iranian girls have little exposure to basic reproductive health topics and safe sex due to cultural and traditional barriers. A Knowledge-Attitude-Practice (KAP) survey of 250 young women visiting pre-marital counseling center at Northern Tehran was conducted in this study. Women were selected by random sampling and interviewed using a structured multiple choice questionnaire with 42 items. Results: About 97% of interviewed women believed that pre-marriage counseling was only necessary for couples who were relatives. 27 to 30% of interviewed women had moderate to low awareness about reproductive health including vaginal infections, safe sex, unwanted pregnancy and family planning. 63% had low knowledge about sexual transmitted diseases (STD) and their symptoms. 18% were embarrassed to discuss sex and family planning issues and 11% would never initiate to talk about such issues with their husbands. 46% would seek help from a health care professional for their sexual and marriage problems, however, 23% did not know any place or individual to refer to for such problems. Majority of women did not believe in family planning after marriage and before first baby. Recommendations: Pre-marriage counseling sessions should be implemented more widely among Iranian young couples, with stronger emphasis on reproductive health, STDs, and importance of spacing between marriage and first pregnancy.

Learning Objectives:

• Purpose of the present study is to evaluate the extent of Reproductive Health knowledge among young women visiting pre-marital counseling center of Northern Tehran in Iran.

Keywords: International Reproductive Health, Education

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.