Cultural taboos and misinformation about menstrual health management in rural Bangladesh

Millions of women worldwide face challenges in managing menstruation, which negatively affects their health, education, labor force participation and productivity. Cultural taboos and social norms are believed to be at the core of this issue, perpetuating stigma and harmful health behaviors, and interfering with attempts to improve knowledge. Our study explores how deep-rooted cultural norms relate to, and potentially hinder, effective menstrual hygiene practices in rural Bangladesh. With an educational intervention, we disseminate crucial knowledge on menstrual hygiene practices. While the intervention succeeded in reshaping certain misconceptions and easing restrictions on hygienic drying of menstrual absorbents, it was less effective in changing deep-seated harmful practices related to their washing and maintenance. The findings suggest that information alone is insufficient to change entrenched norms, highlighting the need for more comprehensive strategies to improve menstrual health management. • Cultural taboos perpetuate menstrual stigma, restrict menstrual hygiene and hinder efforts to improve knowledge and female well-being. • Our study explores how deep-rooted cultural norms affect menstrual hygiene practices in rural Bangladesh, leading to harmful health behavior. • An educational intervention reshaped misconceptions around menstruation and reduced stigma on hygienic drying of menstrual cloth. • Harmful health behavior persists around washing menstrual cloth, highlighting limits of information provision in changing entrenched norms.