Menstruation and menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls of West Bengal, India: A school based comparative study

• Main Authors: Adrija Datta, Nirmalya Manna, Mousumi Datta, Jhuma Sarkar, Baijayanti Baur, Saraswati Datta
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Makhdoomi Printers 2012-11-01
• Series: Global Journal of Medicine and Public Health
• Subjects: Menstrual hygiene; sanitary napkin; adolescent girl; reproductive health
• Online Access: http://www.gjmedph.org/uploads/O10-Vo1No5.pdf

Background: Adolescents are often less informed, less experienced, and less comfortable accessing reproductive health information and services than adults. In many developing countries, a culture of silence surrounds the topic of menstruation and related issues; as a result many young girls lack appropriate and sufficient information regarding menstrual hygiene. This may result in incorrect and unhealthy behaviour during their menstrual period. Objectives: To assess and compare knowledge, belief, ideas, source of knowledge and practice of menstrual hygiene between school-going adolescents in an urban and a rural school of West Bengal, India. Methods: Cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted among adolescent female students of Howrah district of West Bengal, India in the year 2011. Data was collected by pre-designed, pre-tested semi-structured self administered questionnaire. Results: The mean age at menarche was 12.1 years among urban and 12.2 years among the rural participants. More than 80% participants had some restrictions imposed during menstruation. Significantly higher number of urban girls had pre-menarchal knowledge on menstruation and used sanitary napkins. Conclusions: Menstrual hygiene is a vital aspect of health education for adolescent girls. For improvement of menstrual hygiene, sanitary napkins should be made universally available and affordable.