INTRODUCTION
What we ought to see in the agonies of puberty is the result of the conditioning that maims the female personality in creating the feminine. - Germaine Greer
The word adolescence is taken from the Latin word “adolescere” which means "to grow up”. Adolescence is a transitional stage of physical, sex and mental human development generally occurring between puberty and legal adulthood, but largely characterized as beginning and ending with the teenage stage. The onset of adolescence is usually associated with the commencement of puberty and the appearance of secondary sex characteristics. The pituitary gland secretes hormones that stimulate enlargement and development of the sex organs, which thus become capable of reproduction. In females the reproductive cycle of ovulation and menstruation begins, pubic hair appears, and development of the breasts and other body contours takes place.1 During this phase of transition from childhood, adolescents are often confused about the physical and emotional changes in their bodies and feel hesitant and embarrassed to discuss them with anyone. Therefore adolescence is a critical period which influences one’s reproductive health and well-being throughout life. Adolescent girls are especially vulnerable to the biological and social changes taking place during this time and their effects, owing to the existing inequity between the sexes.2 In India, the adolescent population constitutes more than one fifth (23%) of the total population. It is estimated that there are almost 200 million adolescents in India between the age group of 10-19 years. It is expected that these age group will continue to grow reaching over 214 million by 2020. According to 1992-1993 Directorate Of