Menstrual Myths and Restrictive Practices among Adolescent Girls in Community Schools

Menstruation is a natural and important part of reproductive life, which starts from the time of adolescence and ends after menopause. In the context of Nepal, menstruation is still considered an impure socio-cultural taboo and is associated with various restrictive practices. The main purpose of this study is to examine menstrual myths and restrictive practices among adolescent by different caste/ethnicity and their religion. This study was based on a quantitative research design with a census method. The tool used was a self-administered, closed-ended questionnaire administered among eight selected community schools located in Kirtipur Municipality of Kathmandu district. The sample size of this study included all eligible menstruating girls from grades 6–10, totaling 565 respondents. To determine the menstrual myths and restrictive practices, univariate, bivariate, and multivariate linear regression analyses were used. The findings indicated that there are still deeply rooted menstrual myths and restrictive practices that exist across different caste/ethnic groups and religions. The results further explain that the maximum percentage of restrictive practices is found particularly among Brahmin/Chhetri castes and followers of the Hindu religion compared to other case/ethnicities and religions. These kinds of bad practices negatively affect the health of adolescent as well as hamper their academic career. The results underscore an urgent need for comprehensive menstrual education to dispel myths, reduce stigma, and promote healthier, evidence-based practices across all social groups, with special focus on adolescent girls in their schools, their families and their community.