Knowledge and Adoption of family planning practices among adolescent mothers in rural Tamil Nadu.

Adolescent pregnancy is a complex issue with many reasons for concern; it is an important public health problem as well as socioeconomic challenge to society. Approximately 15 million young females aged 15–19 give birth each year, accounting for more than 10 per cent of all babies born worldwide. Only about 17 per cent of them use contraception. A large number of adolescent girls are facing the risk of unplanned pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections and unsafe abortions. Most of the sexually active adolescents are frequently unprepared to protect themselves from unwanted pregnancy or infections. The negative health and socioeconomic consequences associated with adolescent pregnancy is worrisome. The high rate of teenage pregnancy in developing countries, has been attributed to factors such as: lack of knowledge of sexuality, peer group influence, lack of knowledge and/or ineffective use of contraceptives, low socioeconomic status, family instability, early age of marriage and cultural permissiveness's