Background:
Menarche is an important milestone in a women’s
life. The level of hygiene maintained during
menstruation is crucial for a healthy life. This survey
was done to access the level of hygiene in young girls in
a rural area.
Methods:
The survey was carried out in a rural area and the
data was collected using a questionnaire during the
period of 15th June 2019 to 15th August 2019.
Results:
Among127 girls, 61.4% were between 16 & 19
years of age. A 57.5% of girls were having secondary or
higher education. 70.9% of girls had regular cycles.
About 50% had no knowledge of menses before
menarche. About 42% girls used sanitary pad and the
rest used either mix of sanitary pad and cloth or only
cloth.
Conclusion:
This survey demonstrated that the hygiene levels of
young girls during menstruation were less than
adequate. Therefore, young girls and their families
needed to be educated about the importance of
cleanliness and safe practices, and also to do away with
superstitions related to menstruation.
Keywords : Hygiene; Menarche; Menstruation; Rural.