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The following research concerns large city high school students’(about 500 boys and girls) knowledge of pregnancy physiology and family planning. This research was conducted from June 1 to August 31 in 1983. A. General Characteristics of the Students (1) The students are about 14 to 19yrs. in age. The boys are 16.3yrs. in average age and the girls are 16.6yrs., and both boys and girls are 16.9yrs. in average age. (2) The living standard of the students is in the middle for 54.2% and the high middle for 25.2%. The fathers jobs are agricultural in 30.4% and commercial in 27.8%. (3) Concerning religing, the Buddhists comprise 33.7% of the group Christians are 18.6% and Catholics are 7.2%. B. Knowledge of Pregnancy Physiology (1) 7.2% of the students had a lot of knowledge about pregnancy physiology, 22.8% knew a little about it and 59% had heard of it. (2) As to the knowledge of pregnancy physiology; 21.5% of the students knew the ovulation cycle, 40% knew the ovary number in the time of ovulation, 69.2% knew the frequency of ovulation, 68.8% knew the site of the developing fetus, 17.3% knew about fertilization, 81.8% knew about the existence or nonexistence of menstruation during pregnancy and 45% knew the pregnancy periods. C. Knowledge of Family Planning (1) 85% of the students approved of family planning and 95.8% approved of family planning as a national policy. (2) 38.2% approved of it on account of the population problems and 20.7% approved of it on account of economic problems. 28.2% of the girls approved of it because of population problems and 26% approved of it because of the health of the mother and child. (3) 25.2% approved of it because of healthy babies, 23% approved of sex education before marriage and 2% approved of D & C. (4) In order to avoid pregnancy, 26.2% knew about the use of oral birth control pills and 14.2% knew about the use of condoms. The oral birth control pill (19.6%, 45.9%) is known to both boys and girls and the boys knew much more about condoms (16%, 84%). (5) They get their knowledge about avoiding pregnancy from the newspapers(37%), radio, television and other mass media. (6) In practicing family planning 67.1% wanted family planning with the wife and husband both involved, 15.7% of the boy students wanted to practice family planning only on the husbands’ part and 16.7% of the girl students wanted to practice family planning only on the wifes’ part. (7) 49.8% wanted to have one son and daughter and 22.3% wanted only one child regardless of sex. (8) The preferred ages for marriage are 23 or 24yrs. (33.7%), 25 or 26yrs. (32.8%) and 27 or 28 yrs. (17.5%). (9) If they can not have any children; 53.9% wanted to live without children, but 11.3% of the boy students would want to marry again and 8.3% of the girl students would want to be allowed to seek a divorce. (10) The importance of having a son when related to the success of a family applied to 33.7%. Proposal ; On the basis of the above mentioned research material I propose the following ; For family planning and the problems of the young generation; the nation should reinforce the educational programs and should educate young boys and girls according to the plan of having early education. Second, in order to reinforce the peoples consciousness and values we must strengthen the education of all women in these fields.
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