Sexual and Reproductive Health Knowledge Among Female In-School Adolescents in Gombe State, North East Nigeria

Sexual and reproductive health knowledge among adolescent girls in North East Nigeria is constrained by cultural taboos, limited school-based sex education, and restricted access to reproductive health services. This study assesses the level of sexual and reproductive health knowledge among female in-school adolescents aged 13 to 19 years in Gombe State. A cross-sectional survey design is employed, with 330 female students from twelve public secondary schools across three local government areas selected through stratified multistage sampling. A self-administered questionnaire assesses knowledge of puberty, menstrual health, contraception, sexually transmitted infections, and pregnancy prevention. Descriptive statistics and chi-square analysis are applied using SPSS. Available evidence from Adolescent 360 Nigeria and related regional surveys indicates that fewer than 30 percent of adolescent girls in North East Nigeria possess comprehensive knowledge of their reproductive health rights, with knowledge gaps most pronounced on modern contraception and STI prevention. The Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health framework of the Federal Ministry of Health underpins the study's conceptual design. Findings will inform the development of school-based sexual health curricula and teacher capacity-building programmes in Gombe State. The study contributes to reducing adolescent pregnancy and STI incidence in the region. Keywords: sexual and reproductive health, knowledge, female adolescents, in-school, Gombe State.