Reproductive knowledge,sexual behaviour and contraceptive use among adolescents in Niger State of Nigeria

Eight hundred and ninety six adolescents aged 11-25 years were recruited into this study using a multi-stage random sampling method. Overall, about 33% of them had already had first sexual experience but more males than females reported having experienced first sexual encounter. Only 3.6% of the respondents were married. One half of the sexually experienced adolescents had more than one sexual partner at the time of the study. Majority of the respondents (91.9%) had heard about HIV/AIDS and at least a STD. A wide disparity was found in knowledge and use of the contraceptive methods studied, ranging from 41.9% to 63.8% for knowledge and from 0.7% to 12.5% for use. Knowledge and use of condom was highest. For prevention of HIV/AIDS, more males than females thought condom was useful. More Gwari and Hausa respondents claimed that they did not use any family planning method during their first sexual relationship than Yoruba and Igbo respondents. There is need for reproductive health programmes to intensify efforts towards improving adolescents' attitudes to risky sexual behaviours and motivate them to undertake behaviours that would limit such risks.