Abstract

Background: Lack of knowledge and poor personal hygienic practices during menstruation can lead to various gynecological problems in the reproductive life of girls. There is difference in prior awareness about menstruation and menstrual hygiene among rural and urban adolescent girls.

Aims & Objective: To study and compare knowledge, attitude and practices of menstruation and menstrual hygiene in rural and urban adolescent girls.

Material and Methods: This was a community based cross-sectional study in rural and urban filed practice area of Indira Gandhi government medical college, Nagpur on the 310 adolescent girls in the age group of 10-19 years from each area.

Results: Awareness regarding menstruation was more in urban adolescent girls (63.38%) as compared to rural (47.57%). 62.03% of urban girls were using commercially available sanitary pads as compared to 43.4% of rural girls.

Conclusion: Awareness regarding menstruation and menstrual hygiene was unsatisfactory in rural area as compared to urban area.

Key words: Menstrual Hygiene; Awareness of Menstruation; Adolescent Girls; Menarche