A Study on the Knowledge and Practices of Menstrual Hygiene and Reproductive Morbidity among Young Women in and around Jammu Region

Menstruation is defined as the periodic blood flow that flows as discharge from the uterus. Menstruation is a landmark feature of female puberty and signals reproductive maturity. Menstruation has always been associated with pollution, so it is a clear sign of dirt that needs to be hidden and controlled. Taboos surrounding menstruation exclude women and girls from many aspects of social and cultural life. Menstruating women remain under the veil of social pressures. Although menstruation is a natural process, it is linked with several misconceptions and practices, which sometimes result into adverse health outcomes. Menstrual practices are clouded by taboos and social cultural restrictions even today, resulting in adolescents remaining ignorant of the scientific facts and hygienic health practices, necessary for maintaining positive reproductive health. The entire reproductive process extends from menarche to menopause; the intervening periods are marriage, pregnancy, childbirth and contraception. A large number of adolescent girls in India are out of school, get married early and work in vulnerable situations. Therefore, increased knowledge about menstruation right from childhood may escalate safe practices and may help in mitigating the suffering of millions of women.