Cultural aspects of menstruation and menstrual hygiene in adolescents
Abstract
The topic of genital hygiene practices in adolescent girls is under-represented in the literature, despite the fact that poor genital hygiene has a significant potential to negatively impact adolescent health. Moreover, douching (a hygiene practice relatively common among adolescent girls) is linked to numerous serious gynecological problems. Menstruation brings with it a significant hygiene challenge, but in many cultures it is also an important social milestone, surrounded by many cultural practices that profoundly alter a girl’s life. The ability to practically manage menstruation may also impact a girl’s life, depending on the availability of appropriate absorbent products and access to private sanitation facilities. Despite the fact that menstruation is shared by more than half the world’s population, it is a topic that virtually all cultures are uncomfortable discussing at some level, and most girls are ill-informed with regard to menstruation and are unprepared for menarche. Better preparation for menstruation, however, has been consistently associated with a better outlook on menstruation and a better competence in managing menstrual hygiene. Girls regard parents, other adult females, schools, community health organizations and health professionals as appropriate sources of information, which suggests numerous ways in which girls could be more effectively prepared about menarche and menstrual hygiene.
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Commercial menstrual products may be unavailable or too costly, prompting rural and poor women and girls to use available materials such as cloth from old clothing and cotton.
“Resources, like commercial menstrual products, may be unavailable or too costly, prompting rural and poor women and girls to use available materials such as cloth from old clothing and cotton [11, 12, 23–26].”
From ’It’s like a burden on the head’: Redefining adequate menstrual hygiene management throughout women’s varied life stages in Odisha, India. (2019) · cites this paper as [23]
Women and girls face information and social support challenges: girls are often unprepared, uninformed, misinformed, and lack adequate support for understanding and managing menarche, menstruation, and puberty, resulting in fear, uncertainty, and potentially harmful behaviors.
“In addition to these structural and resource barriers, women and girls face information and social support challenges: girls are often unprepared, uninformed, misinformed, and lack adequate support for understanding and managing menarche, menstruation, and puberty, resulting in fear, uncertainty, and potentially harmful behaviors, like risky sex, reduced bathing, and limited food and water intake”
From ’It’s like a burden on the head’: Redefining adequate menstrual hygiene management throughout women’s varied life stages in Odisha, India. (2019) · cites this paper as [23]
Many researchers have explored girls' fear and confusion at menarche due to insufficient information and preparation.
“Many researchers have explored girls’ fear and confusion at menarche due to insufficient information and preparation [4, 12, 21, 23, 67, 69].”
From ’It’s like a burden on the head’: Redefining adequate menstrual hygiene management throughout women’s varied life stages in Odisha, India. (2019) · cites this paper as [23]
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- Authors
- Farage, M. A., Miller, K. W., & Davis, A.
- Affiliations
- Procter & Gamble (United States) (US)
- Dartmouth College (US)
- Venue
- Expert Review of Obstetrics & Gynecology
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2011-03
- Volume
- 6
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 127-139
- ISSN
- 1747-4108 (ISSN-L)
- 1747-4116
- OpenAlex
- W1987983066
- Cited by
- 42
- References
- 73
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 2 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 1
- FWCI
- 0.00
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Expert Review of Obstetrics & Gynecology (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Menstrual Health and Disorders
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Hypothalamic control of reproductive hormones
- Keywords
- menstruation, menstrual hygiene, adolescent girls, genital hygiene, douching, menarche, cultural practices, menstrual health education, absorbent products, sanitation facilities, health information sources
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