International Institute for Population Sciences
Deemed to be University (An Autonomous Organization of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India)

Background: Menstruation is one of the most basic characteristic features of women and so are the society regulated customs, practises and restrictions related to the process of menstruation. Menstruation is a natural process, but it is still a taboo in Indian society as it is considered unclean and dirty. Objectives: The paper attempts to determine the prevalence of menstrual hygienic practices and the factors affecting the existing practices of menstrual hygiene among the women age 15-24 in India. Methodology: Data from the 2015–2016 National Family Health Survey–4 for 244,500 menstruating women aged 15–24 was used. Bivariate analysis was carried out. The odds for use of hygienic method were computed by employing binary logistic regression. Result: The proportion of women who used hygienic method to prevent bloodstains from becoming evident was 57.58%. The hygienic method which includes use locally prepared napkins, sanitary napkins and tampons are 16.27%, 41.8% and 2.4%. Place of residence, year of schooling, caste/tribe, wealth index, region, marital status, structure of the house and the exposure to mass media are statistically significant with the use of hygienic methods. Conclusion: This study reveals that menstrual hygiene is not satisfactory among a large proportion of the adolescent girls. They need more education about menstrual hygiene. It is essential to design a mechanism to address and for the access of healthy menstrual knowledge. Emphasis should be given on the education of young girls about the importance of maintaining hygiene during menstruation to prevent the risk of reproductive tract infections.