Comparative Study of Menstrual Hygiene and Perception Among Pre And Post Menarcheal Adolescents In West Bengal, India

A girl's life has several turning points as she matures into a woman who can procreate. The first menstrual blood flow episode, known as menarche, is the final significant event of this sexual development. The purpose of this study was to evaluate menstrual hygiene behaviors among postmenarchal females and compare the knowledge and perspective of premenarchal and postmenarchal teenage girls. It was a community based cross-sectional study. Random sampling method was applied to select the school in rural area. The premenstrual group consisted primarily of early adolescents, aged 9 to 12, whereas the postmenstrual group included a larger proportion of late adolescents, aged 16 and older. The majority of respondents (84.48%, n = 98) had cycles lasting 3–8 days, followed by 2 days (13.89%, n = 16) and 1 day (1.72%, n = 2). Of the 116 respondents, 85.34% (n = 99) had regular periods. Respondents had a range of issues during their periods, including: cramps (10.34%, n=12), bodi pain (7.76%, n=9), weakness (6.90%, n=8), dizziness (4.31%, n=5), and most of them (68.97%, n=80) had all of the aforementioned issues. Leukorrhea (60.34%, n = 70), Pre-Menstrual Syndrome (58.68%, n = 62), and vaginal discomfort during periods (75%, n = 87) were the most common complaints among the responders. Before the commencement of menses, 78 individuals in the premenstrual group and 85 in the postmenstrual group were aware of the menstrual cycle. The organ where the bleeding originated was known to the responders. There was a discrepancy found between the post menarchal group's teenage girls' understanding and behaviors of menstrual hygiene. Ultimately, it is critical to have a holistic approach to menstrual health, viewing it as a human rights and health concern with physical, biological, and social ramifications that extends beyond menarche