Menstrual disorders and menstrual hygiene practices in higher secondary school girls.

Objective: To study the menstrual problems and menstrual hygiene practices of adolescent girls in Thiruvananthapuram City Corporation.

Methods: Students of class XI and XII in the age group 15-19 years, belonging to ten Higher Secondary Schools within the Thiruvananthapuram City Corporation area were selected for the study by multistage sampling procedure and screened using a pretested self evaluation questionnaire.

Results: Menstrual disorders were reported in 21.1%. The most frequently reported problem during menstruation was dysmenorrhoea (72.4%) followed by oligomenorrhoea (11.3%). Only 11.5% of the girls who had menstrual problems sought treatment and majority from a gynecologist. Out of 81.5% girls who reported vaginal discharge, only 5.7% had abnormal discharge. Menstrual hygiene was adequate in the majority of girls.

Conclusions: Menstrual disorders are common in adolescence and can have significant consequences on future reproductive health.