SOME DIFFERENTIALS OF REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH OF THE MARRIED WOMEN IN BANGLADESH

Abstract

Gender inequality is rampant at every sphere of the society in Bangladesh. It influences the reproductive health of the married women in Bangladesh. The main focus of this article is to find out the differentials of the reproductive health in gender perspective of married women in Bangladesh. Data were collected from 100 urban and 100 rural women. Findings show that married women of Bangladesh are not aware of their own sexual and reproductive rights, and they have very limited control over their own bodies. Personal opinion of the women with regard to birth control and family planning seems irrelevant in decisionmaking where they play a passive role to fulfill their husbands’ wishes. Only 8.5 percent of the women took part in decision regarding conception followed by 22.5 percent of the women used contraceptives by their own choices. The urban rural differentials of the reproductive health status of the women found remarkable. 78.5 percent of the women had to marry at the age of below 18 years and 79.5 percent of them were married by the decision of their parents. Although family members were involved in the decision to have a child, nobody found involved in providing pre-natal care to the expectant mother. Moreover, 76.5 percent of the women had to perform regular household activities during their pregnancy.