International Journal of Education and Management Studies

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access
Open Access Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Restricted Access Subscription Access

Menstrual Hygiene Practices, Socio-cultural Restrictions and Taboos among Indian Society and their Impact on Women Life


Affiliations
1 Department of Sociology, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, Haryana, India
2 Department of Sociology, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, Haryana, India
3 Department of Pathology, PGIMS, Rohtak, Haryana, India
     

   Subscribe/Renew Journal


Menstruation is a natural physiological process that women only experience after they reach puberty. However, it has always been shrouded by taboos and superstitions that restrict women from participating in many socio-cultural aspects of their lives. Until now, menstruation is considered as taboo in India and associated with various myths and restrictions. Menstrual taboos and prohibitions affect girls’ and women's psychological health, perspective, lifestyle and most importantly, reproductive health. Girls' lack of awareness and understanding about adolescence, menstruation and their reproductive health makes it challenging to address menstruation's taboos and beliefs. The aim of this study is to bring attention to widespread menstrual myths/taboos and restrictions in India, as well as their menstrual hygiene practices and their impact on women's lives and health, as well as the importance of addressing these problems in basic care.

Keywords

Menstruation, Reproductive Health, Adolescent, Restrictions, Myths, Menstrual Taboos
Subscription Login to verify subscription
User
Notifications
Font Size


  • Action Works Nepal (2012). Research report on `miteri gau-let's live together campaign' to initiate chhaupadi free community. Jumla and Kalikot districts of Karnali, Nepal.

  • Adhikari, P., Kadel, B., Dhungel, S. I., & Mandal, A. (2007). Knowledge and practice regarding menstrual hygiene in rural adolescent girls of Nepal. Kathmandu University Medical Journal (KUMJ), 5(3), 382-386.

  • Ahmed Shallo, S., Willi, W., & Abubeker, A. (2020). Factors affecting menstrual hygiene management practice among school adolescents in Ambo, Western Ethiopia, 2018: A cross-sectional mixed-method study. Risk Management and Health Care Policy, 13(2), 1579-1587. https://doi.org/10.2147/RMHP.S267534

  • Arumugam, B., Nagalingam, S., Varman, P. M., Ravi, P., & Ganesan, R. (2014). Menstrual hygiene practices: Is it practically impractical? International Journal of Medicine and Public Health, 4(4), 472-476.

  • Behera, D., Sivakami, M., & Behera, M.R. (2015). Menarche and menstruation in rural adolescent girls in Maharashtra, India: A qualitative study. Journal of Health Management, 17(4), 510-519. https://doi.org/10.1177/0972063415612581

  • Bhusal, C. K. (2020). Practice of menstrual hygiene and associated factors among adolescent school girls in Dang district, Nepal. Advances In Preventive Medicine, 2020, 1292070. https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/1292070.

  • Bodat, S., Ghate, M. M., & Majumdar, J. R. (2013). School absenteeism during menstruation among rural adolescent girls in Pune. National Journal of Community Medicine, 4(2), 212-216.

  • Chan, S. S., Yiu, K. W., Yuen, P. M., Sahota, D. S., & Chung, T. K. (2009). Menstrual problems and health-seeking behaviour in Hong Kong Chinese girls. Hong Kong Medical Journal, 15(1), 18-23.

  • Chandra-Mouli, V., & Patel, S. V. (2017). Mapping the knowledge and understanding of menarche, menstrual hygiene and menstrual health among adolescent girls in lowand middle-income countries. BMC Reproductive Health, 14(1), 30-46.

  • Dasgupta, A., & Sarkar, M. (2008). Menstrual hygiene: How hygienic is the adolescent girl? Indian Journal of Community Medicine: Official Publication of Indian Association of Preventive and Social Medicine, 33(2), 77-80.

  • DASRA. (2014). Spot On! Improving menstrual health and hygiene in India, report. DASRA; Delhi, India.

  • Deshpande, T. N., Patil, S. S., Gharai, S. B., Patil, S. R., & Durgawale, P. M. (2018). Menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls: A study from urban slum area. Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, 7(6), 1439-1445.

  • Fehintola, F. O., Fehintola, A. O., Aremu, A. O., Idowu, A., Ogunlaja, O. A., & Ogunlaja, I. P. (2017). Assessment of knowledge, attitude and practice about menstruation and menstrual hygiene among secondary high school girls in Ogbomoso, Oyo state, Nigeria. International Journal of Reproduction, Contraception, Obstetrics and Gynecology, 6(5), 1726-1732.

  • Garg, R., Goyal, S., & Gupta, S. (2012). India moves towards menstrual hygiene: Subsidized sanitary napkins for rural adolescent girls issues and challenges. Indian Journal of Maternal and Child Health, 16(4), 767-774.

  • George, R. (2013). Celebrating womanhood: how better menstrual hygiene management is the path to better health, dignity and business. Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council.

  • Gupta, J., & Gupta, H. (2001). Adolescents and menstruation. Journal of Family Welfare, 47(1), 1-13.

  • Hallberg, L., Högdahl, A., Nilsson, L., & Rybo, G. (1996). Menstrual blood loss and iron deficiency. Acta Medica Scandinavica, 180(5), 639-650. https://doi. org/ 10.1111/ j. 0954-6820.

  • House, S., Mahon, T., & Cavill, S. (2012). Menstrual hygiene matters: A resource for improving menstrual hygiene around the world. Reproductive Health Matters, 21(41), 257-259.

  • Jain, R. B., Kumar, A., & Khanna, P. (2013). Assessment of self-awareness among rural adolescents: A cross-sectional study. Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism, 17(1), 367-372.

  • Kadariya, S., & Aro, A.R. (2015). Chhaupadi practice in Nepal-analysis of ethical aspects. Medicolegal and Bioethics, 5, 53-58.

  • Kansal, S., Singh, S., & Kumar, A. (2016). Menstrual hygiene practices in context of schooling: A community study among rural adolescent girls in Varanasi. Indian Journal of Community Medicine: Official Publication of Indian Association of Preventive and Social Medicine, 41(1), 39-44.

  • Kumar, A., & Srivastava, K. (2011). Cultural and social practices regarding menstruation among adolescent girls. Social Work in Public Health, 26(6), 594-604.

  • Lahme, A. M., Stern, R., & Cooper, D. (2018). Factors impacting on menstrual hygiene and their implications for health promotion. Global Health Promotion, 25(1), 54-62.

  • Logeswari, K., Parmar, J., & Suryawanshi, D. M. (2021). Socio-cultural barriers for menstrual hygiene management among adolescent school girls of southern India. International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health, 8(4), 1868-1876.

  • Mason, L., Nyothach, E., Alexander, K., Odhiambo, F. O., Eleveld, A., Vulule, J., Rheingans, R., Laserson, K.F., Mohammed, A., & Phillips-Howard, P. A. (2013). 'We keep it secret so no one should know': A qualitative study to explore young schoolgirls attitudes and experiences with menstruation in rural Western Kenya. Public Library of Science One, 8, 11. https://doi.org/10.1371 /journal.pone.0 079132

  • Mohammed, S., & Larsen-Reindorf, R. E. (2020). Menstrual knowledge, socio-cultural restrictions, and barriers to menstrual hygiene management in Ghana: Evidence from a multi-method survey among adolescent schoolgirls and schoolboys. Public Library of Science One, 15, 10. https://doi.org/ 10.1371/journal.pone.0241106

  • Mudey, A. B., Kesharwani, N., Mudey, G. A., & Goyal, R. C. (2010). A cross-sectional study on awareness regarding safe and hygienic practices amongst school going adolescent girls in rural area of Wardha District, India. Global Journal of Health Science, 2(2), 225-231.

  • Mugambi, A., & Georgas, T. (2016). Menstruation as an education and gender indicator affecting girls dropping out of school. [Full Text][Google Scholar].

  • Nair, R., Shah, S. P., Shah, P. P., Modi, D. K., Desai, S. A., & Desai, L. (2013). Improving quality of life with new menstrual hygiene practices among adolescent tribal girls in rural Gujarat, India. Reproductive Health Matters, 21(41), 205-213.

  • Paria, B., Bhattacharyya, A., & Das, S. (2014). A comparative study on menstrual hygiene among urban and rural adolescent girls of West Bengal. Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, 3(4), 413-417.

  • Pednekar, S. (2010). Cultural perspectives on menstruating in India. WAVE Women Aloud Videoblogging for Empowerment. Retrieved on September 19, 2015, from http://www.youtube.com/ on.

  • Puri, S., & Kapoor, S. (2006). Taboos and myths associated with womens health among rural and urban adolescent girls in Punjab. Indian Journal of Community Medicine, 31(4), 295-298.

  • Ray, S., & Aparajita, D. (2012). Determinants of menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls: A multivariate analysis. National Journal of Community Medicine, 3(2), 294-301.

  • Sabiya, A. (2017). Socio-cultural constructs related to menarche and menstruation among tribal adolescents of Kargil district. http://hdl.handle.net/10603/189720.

  • Sharma, P., Singh, N., Tempe, A., & Sharma, S. (2018). Knowledge, practices and restrictions related to menstruation in young girls: A study from North India. International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health, 5(8), 3340-3344.

  • SOS Children' Village (2014). Social taboos damage the health of girls and women. [Last accessed on 2014 Aug 12]. Available from: http://www.soschildrensvillages .org.uk/news/blog/social-taboos-damage-the-health-of-girls-and-women.

  • Stefanie, K. (2008). Menstrual hygiene management. [Last accessed on 2014 Aug 09]. Available from: https://www.sswm.info/humanitarian-crises/camps/hy gienepromotion-community-mobilisation/hygiene-promotion-community/men strual-hygiene-management

  • Tegegne, T. K., & Sisay, M. M. (2014). Menstrual hygiene management and school absenteeism among female adolescent students in Northeast Ethiopia. BMC Public Health, 14(1), 1-14.

  • Ten, V. T. A. (2007). Menstrual hygiene: A neglected condition for the achievement of several millennium development goals. Europe External Policy Advisors, pp. 1-22.

  • Thakre, S. B., Thakre, S. S., Reddy, M., Rathi, N., Pathak, K., & Ughade, S. (2011). Menstrual hygiene: Knowledge and practice among adolescent school girls of Saoner, Nagpur district. Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research, 5(5), 1027-1033.

  • Thakur, H., Aronsson, A., Bansode, S., Stalsby Lundborg, C., Dalvie, S., & Faxelid, E. (2014). Knowledge, practices, and restrictions related to menstruation among young women from low socio-economic community in Mumbai, India. Frontiers in Public Health, 2(1), 72-79.

  • Torondel, B., Sinha, S., Mohanty, J. R., Swain, T., Sahoo, P., Panda, B., Nayak, A., Bara, M., Bilung, B., Cumming, O., & Panigrahi, P. (2018). Association between unhygienic menstrual management practices and prevalence of lower reproductive tract infections: A hospital-based cross-sectional study in Odisha, India. BMC Infectious Diseases, 18(1), 1-12.

  • United Nation (2019). https://www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/ Display News.aspx?

  • Vashisht, A., Pathak, R., Agarwalla, R., Patavegar, B. N., & Panda, M. (2018). School absenteeism during menstruation amongst adolescent girls in Delhi, India. Journal of Family and Community Medicine, 25(3), 163-168.

  • Wateraid.org (2012). Module one: Menstrual hygiene basics. [Last accessed on 2014 Aug 09]. Available from: http://www.wateraid.org/~/media/Files/Global/MHM%20files/Module1_HR.pdf

  • Yaliwal, R. G., Biradar, A. M., Kori, S. S., Mudanur, S. R., Pujeri, S. U., & Shahnnawaz, M. (2020). Menstrual morbidities, menstrual hygiene, cultural practices during menstruation, and WASH practices at schools in adolescent girls of North Karnataka, India: A cross-sectional prospective study. Obstetrics and Gynecology International, 2020. https://doi.org/ 10.1155/2020/6238193


Abstract Views: 569

PDF Views: 0




  • Menstrual Hygiene Practices, Socio-cultural Restrictions and Taboos among Indian Society and their Impact on Women Life

Abstract Views: 569  |  PDF Views: 0

Authors

Preeti
Department of Sociology, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, Haryana, India
Vinod Kumari
Department of Sociology, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, Haryana, India
Mahak
Department of Pathology, PGIMS, Rohtak, Haryana, India

Abstract


Menstruation is a natural physiological process that women only experience after they reach puberty. However, it has always been shrouded by taboos and superstitions that restrict women from participating in many socio-cultural aspects of their lives. Until now, menstruation is considered as taboo in India and associated with various myths and restrictions. Menstrual taboos and prohibitions affect girls’ and women's psychological health, perspective, lifestyle and most importantly, reproductive health. Girls' lack of awareness and understanding about adolescence, menstruation and their reproductive health makes it challenging to address menstruation's taboos and beliefs. The aim of this study is to bring attention to widespread menstrual myths/taboos and restrictions in India, as well as their menstrual hygiene practices and their impact on women's lives and health, as well as the importance of addressing these problems in basic care.

Keywords


Menstruation, Reproductive Health, Adolescent, Restrictions, Myths, Menstrual Taboos

References