title: Menstrual disorders and menstrual hygiene practices in higher secondary school girls.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the menstrual problems and menstrual hygiene practices of adolescent girls in Thiruvananthapuram City Corporation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Students of class XI and XII in the age group 15-19 years, belonging to ten Higher Secondary Schools within the Thiruvananthapuram City Corporation area were selected for the study by multistage sampling procedure and screened using a pretested self evaluation questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Menstrual disorders were reported in 21.1%. The most frequently reported problem during menstruation was dysmenorrhoea (72.4%) followed by oligomenorrhoea (11.3%). Only 11.5% of the girls who had menstrual problems sought treatment and majority from a gynecologist. Out of 81.5% girls who reported vaginal discharge, only 5.7% had abnormal discharge. Menstrual hygiene was adequate in the majority of girls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Menstrual disorders are common in adolescence and can have significant consequences on future reproductive health.
authors.affiliation: Child Development Centre, Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram 695011 Kerala, India. cdcmkc@gmail.com
authors.forename: M K C
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Nair
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Chacko
authors.forename: Manju
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ranjith Darwin
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Padma
authors.forename: Babu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: George
authors.forename: Russell
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: P S
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D006920:Hygiene; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008599:Menstruation Disturbances / Q000453:epidemiology*; D060728:Reproductive Health; D012574:Schools; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult