MENTURATION OF WOMEN EDUCATIONAL TUTORIAL

1. Menstrual Health and Hygiene
Practices: A Review Study on Indian
Adolescent Girls
Swapnashree Das
Research Scholar
Department of Anthropology and Tribal Studies
Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanja Deo University

2. BACKGROUND
 Menarche is a psychological, social and behavioural
transition among women from girlhood to womanhood.
 Menstrual hygiene is an essential attribute of menstrual
health for women during their reproductive age.
 Menstrual hygiene management and practices by
adolescent females of low and middle-income countries
are a severe concern.

3. Objective
The present review work is
conducted to explore the existing
literature on menstrual hygiene
practices specifically in India.

4. Materials and Methods
Pub-Med Central, Research Gate, Google Scholar, PLOS ONE, and BMC
were used to search the published literature.
Keywords : “Menstrual hygiene”, “menstrual disorders”, “Menstrual
irregularities”, “menstrual patterns”, “menstrual disturbance”,
“abdominal cramps”, “Menstrual bleeding”, “Irregular menstruation”,
“menstrual restriction”, “Premenstrual symptoms”, “ India”.
Only published work between the years 2014 to 2024 was considered.

5. Materials and Methods
Inclusion Criteria Exclusion Criteria
 Only Indian studies were
considered.
 The targeted population was
adolescent girls.
 Only cross-sectional and
community-based studies were
incorporated.
 Review study, book chapters,
short article and letter to editors
were eliminated.

6. RESULTS
Menstrual hygiene-related
practices
Menstrual disorders
Restrictions during menstrual cycle

7. Menstrual hygiene-related practices
Study Findings
Shah et.al., 2018
Jaipur
Study reported that girls used sanitary napkins as
an absorbent and change their used absorbent 1 to
2 times a day.
Reddy and Amgoth,
2019
Telengana
Study reported that only 30% of girls were using
sanitary napkin and 77% girls did not change their
absorbent two or more times in a day.
Kolusu et.al., 2019
Hyadrabad
This study revealed that majority of the girls used
sanitary pads during their menstrual cycle.

8. Menstrual hygiene-related practices
Study Findings
Bishwalata et.al., 2020
Manipur
This study among adolescent girls of East Manipur, reveals that girls were using
sanitary napkins and washed clothes. The majority of them clean their external
genitalia with soap and water during their menses.
Veyeda et.al., 2021
Gujrat
Study showed that girls used sanitary pads during menstruation. Even they use
soap and water for washing their menstrual absorbent and external genitalia.
Gupta et.al., 2021
Lucknow
Study showed that girls preferred sanitary pads as an absorbent. Girls clean their
genitalia after urinating during menstruation with both soap and water.
Mohapatra, 2023
Odisha
Study in Baleshwar, Odisha shows that girls use both napkins and clothes.

9. Menstrual hygiene-related practices
Sanitary
Napkin
Change
absorbent 1
or 2 time/day
Dustbin
Cloth Water
Soap

10. Menstrual disorders
Study Findings
Shah et.al., 2018
Jaipur
Study reported that pain in the abdomen pain was the most
common among the girls, and also, they face excessive
bleeding, headache, and weakness during menstruation.
Reddy and
Amgoth, 2019
Telengana
This study among adolescent girls in Telangana reported
that the majority of girls face problems like abdominal
pain, pain in the legs during menstruation.
Kolusu et.al.,
2019 Hyderabad
Study among adolescent girls in urban area of Hyderabad
reveals that majority of the girls suffer from abdominal
pain and body pain during menstruation.

11. Menstrual disorders
Study Findings
Kumari et.al., 2021
Uttarakhand
In a study among girls from Uttarakhand reveals that girls experienced
abdominal pain, pain in legs, vomiting during periods.
Veyeda et.al., 2021
Gujrat
Even adolescent girls in Gujrat reported that adolescent experienced severe
pain and heavy bleeding during periods.
Das and Gautam, 2022
Odisha
This study revealed that, adolescent girls experienced dizziness, vomiting,
cramps, nausea during their menstrual cycle.
Mohapatra et. al., 2023
Odisha
Odisha (Baleswar District) population-based study among adolescent girls
in Baleshwar shows that girls experienced verity of symptoms before and
during their cycle and majorly they suffered with pain in the abdominal
area, and pain in leg.

12. Menstrual disorders
Abdominal
pain
Headache
Vomiting
Nausea
Irritability
Pain in
Leg

13. Restrictions during menstrual cycle
Study Findings
Sowmya et.al., 2014
Karnataka
Other restrictions like being restricted from cooking, and avoid
social gathering during their menstruation cycle was also found in
various studies.
Javalkar and Akshy,
2017
Karnataka
Dietary restrictions towards specific fruits (papaya, pineapple) and
especially spicy foods.
Parle and Khatoon,
2019
Maharastra
Study revealed that, show that girls were not allowed to perform
religious activities, and also not allowed to attend social function
during menstruation.

14. Restrictions during menstrual cycle
Study Findings
Aggrawal
et. al., 2021
Maharashtra
Even one study reported that girls were not
allowed to take non-veg foods and halwa etc
during menstruation.
Das and
Gautam, 2022
Odisha
Another study was conducted among adolescent in
Rayagada district in Odisha which explored that,
adolescent girls were not allowed to take sour and
heavy sweet food items like tamarind, jaggery
during their monthly cycle.

15. Restrictions during menstrual cycle
Avoid social
gathering
Sleeping in
separate
room
Not allowed
in religious
places
Dietary
Restriction
Not allowed
to touch
male

16. Conclusion
 Menstruation is a natural and essential aspect of human biology.
Understanding menstruation's physiological process, characteristics,
and importance can help promote menstrual health.
 Adolescent girls still don't exercise proper hygiene throughout their
periods. Emphasis on safe hygiene practices is crucial for improving
their menstrual health and quality of life.

17. Thank You