Social Determinants of Reproductive Health of the women at Slums in Khulna City of Bangladesh

This study aims to seek the determinants of the reproductive health status of the married women in three slums naming Sweeper colony, Natun Bazar slum and Ranar Math slum of Khulna City in Bangladesh. In this study a combination of social survey and case study was used. Relevant data for this research was collected directly from field by using interview schedule which contained both structured and open-ended questions. In addition, secondary data was also used. In the analysis of the determinants of the reproductive health status of the married women the study has focused on some specific factors that affect the distribution of reproductive health problems on the married women in these slums. The findings of this study explicate that the majority of the women in study area were not aware about reproductive health as patriarchal society and traditional beliefs lay them behind. Half of the respondents were illiterate and about two third of the respondents were married before the age of 18 and they had no preference over the decision of marriage. More than half of the total respondents were engaged in household activities and mainly they were depended on their husband's income, respondent's who earned money had little control over the income. A larger portion of respondents did not get medical facility during illness. They also viewed that they didn't get proper rest and even extra food during their pregnancy period due to their poor economic condition. Very few respondents did not get the proper medical facilities because of their poor economic condition. But the due to their lack of consciousness a larger portion of the respondents used the contraceptives because of the running different types of family planning programs. But here all kinds of problems as well as methods were taken to the respondents. Most of the time, it was seen that different time in their reproductive age their reproductive rights were violated by the male members of their families.

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