ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Adolescents have special reproductive health needs, but these peculiar needs are often unmet in many cultures and countries. METHODS: A cross-sectional study involving adolescents in three secondary schools in a northern Nigerian setting. Demographic characteristics as well as reproductive health issues (adolescent sex, abortion, sexual experience) among the students were surveyed. RESULTS: Of the 1070 students that fully participated in the survey, 539 (50.4%) were girls and 531 (49.6%) boys. They were aged 10 - 27 years (median 16 Years). Five hundred forty three (50.7%) were Christians and 499 (46.6%) Muslims. Nine hundred and four (84.5%) of the students knew about abortion. On their view about reasons why adolescents indulge in premarital sex, 574 (53.6%) felt it was to please boyfriend/girlfriend, 391 (36.5%) to experiment with sex, 312 (29.6%) to test fertility and 239 (22.3%) felt it was to stop painful menstruation. One hundred thirty five (12.6%) have had sex and 15 - 19 years age group were more likely to be sexually active. Twelve (1.1%) of the girls had been pregnant once - four times before and all had an abortion. Children of civil servants were significantly more likely to be sexually active compared to other groups of children (p <0.05). All the respondents knew one or more complication of abortion to include inability to get pregnant in future 682 (63.7%), abdominal pain 589 (55%) and painful menstruation 427 (39.9%). CONCLUSION: Adolescents are unique in every way including issues of reproductive health. The age at sexual debut in this setting is early. There is a need to include reproductive health education in the curriculum of secondary schools. This should help the adolescents to obtain the correct information from the right source.
