Family life Education and Menstrual practices among Unmarried Adolescent women of Urban India

Providing family life education (FLE) to unmarried adolescent women is a taboo in India. The DLHS-3 collected information on FLE and menstrual practices from urban unmarried women aged 15-24 years. Around half women had high school and above education, two third was Hindus and one-fifth Muslims. Three fourth were aware of FLE four fifth perceived FLE important, half received FLE while three-fifth perceived right ages for FLE as 15-17 years. Eighty percent women think right place for FLE as school/college when they are studying. One-fourth opined that they could get pregnant during very first sexual intercourse. One-fifth had menstruation related problems. They used cloth/locally made sanitary napkins during menstruation. Educated women practised more menstrual hygiene. Three fourth adolescent unmarried women had awareness about FLE, eighty percent thought FLE as important, half had received FLE and three-fifth women opined proper time for FLE as 15-17 years, eighty percent want FLE to be given by school/college when they were still studying.Logistic regression indicated that older, higher educated, other castes and richest women were more of aware of FLE, perceived FLE important and received FLE than their counter parts. The study suggests for a need to create awareness among the adolescent women.