TMSS Medical College Journal

Background: Adolescence is the very important stage of physical, psychological, and reproductive development for females and menstruation becomes an unpleasant experience for adolescent girls due to poor water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities and inadequate menstrual hygiene management items. Various aspects such as physiology, pathology and psychology of menstruation have been found to be associated with health and well-being of women; hence, it is an important issue concerning morbidity. Thus, the study was conducted to understand the scenario of menstrual hygiene management of adolescent school girls in rural setting of Bogura District. More specifically, the objectives are (i) to assess the awareness (knowledge) about Menstrual Hygiene and their sources of information; (ii) to find out the prevailing practices for menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls; and (iii) to assess the facilities existing in the respondents’ educational institutions for menstrual hygiene management. Materials and Methods: A community based cross-sectional study has been carried out in the three Upazilas of Bogura District namely Bogura Sadar, Sherpur, and Shariakandi. Primary Data were collected randomly form 290 adolescent girls through the face-to-face interview method by using the pre-tested and structured questionnaire during the period of October 2019 to November 2019. Univariate statistics were used to analyze the data. Relevant reports, academic articles, and feature of periodicals have been used to check validity and reliability. Results: Among the 290 adolescent girls, 67.6% were between 15 and 19 years and 95% are from Muslim Religion. A maximum of 98% were having high school (Secondary) education and 32% respondent’s family income is between 5-10 thousand. Illiteracy rate among the respondent’s fathers and mother is high. Highest number of respondents (40%) had experienced of their first period at 13 years. duration of 64% girl’s normal menstruation is 3-5 days and flow of blooding is moderate or normal of 69% girls. About 69% had no knowledge of menses before menarche and the source of information was mother in 71%. 35% girls commented that bleeding initiated in uterus and 63% said that they don’t know about this. About 33% and 11% girls used old cloth and sanitary pad respectively and rest of them used combinedly pad, old and new cloth, and tissue paper. About 12% used only water for cleaning genital area during menstruation. Conclusions: This study found that menstrual hygiene practices scenario among the adolescent girls is not satisfactory. So, education and awareness related to the practices of menstrual hygiene should be increased.

For adolescent girls, and those women who are adult experienced menstruation which is their biological process by nature.' During the adolescent years in girl, the onset of the menstruation as one of most important changes occurring respectively. Many of the developing countries, the average age of menarche is from 12 to 13 years in rural areas, while in urban areas menarche is 12.5 years and less than that on average. Women as well as girls who using sanitary pads and sufficient washing of genital area as hygiene practices during their menstruation.’ Proper menstrual hygiene knowledge and practices are very important for both women and adolescent by the time of their menstruation. To do this, few actions need to be followed, namely 1) Regular change of clothing and underwear; 2) Change of hygienic pads one in every three or four hours; 3) Daily showering; 4) Adequate washing of genitalia after each voiding of urine and feces.