Overview of menstrual hygiene management and other risk factors concerning bacterial vaginosis

Bangladesh is a developing nation where, for a variety of reasons, adequate female reproductive health is not maintained. A variety of health issues, including but not limited to bacterial vaginosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, and cervical cancer, plague Bangladeshi women. The study employed a one-year cross-sectional design, combining a quantitative participatory approach. It was conducted at two healthcare facilities, AK Memorial Hospital in Maona, Gazipur, and Lubana General Hospital & Uttara Cardiac Centre, involving 244 voluntary participants. Among them, 153 women meeting specific inclusion criteria (reproductive and menopausal age, bacterial vaginosis diagnosis) were selected, while those with a negative bacterial vaginosis (BV) diagnosis were excluded. Data collection primarily occurred in the outpatient department, with participants covering a wide age range and representing diverse socioeconomic and educational backgrounds, ensuring the study's findings were comprehensive and representative. 65.4% of the BV-positive women were married. It was observed that married women were more susceptible to BV than unmarried women. The study also revealed that poor menstrual hygiene was the leading cause of BV. Around 81% of women had poor menstrual hygiene, whereas 68% of them changed their absorbents more than once or twice a day.