Reproductive health-seeking by married adolescent girls in Maharashtra, India

In India, most adolescent girls 15-19 years old are married A study was con ducted in 1995-97 in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra, India to gain insi ght in to whether and how their reproductive health needs are met, especial ly for gynaecological problems, family planning and perceived fertility pro blems. It included a survey among 302 married girls of this age, and in-dep th interviews with 74 girls, 37 husbands and 53 mothers-in-law. Girls were treated quickly for illnesses interfering with domestic work and were expec ted to conceive in the first year of marriage. Menstrual disorders and symp toms of reproductive tract infection often went untreated. There was an eme rging need for delaying and spacing pregnancies; limiting the number of chi ldren was well established. Household work, protection of fertility and sil ence arising from embarrassment related to sexual health problems were the strongest factors influencing care-seeking. Husbands made the decision whet her their wives could seek care and mothers-in-law sometimes influenced the se decisions; girls had neither decision-making power nor influence. This s tudy provides valuable input for the new reproductive and child health prog ramme in Maharashtra.