Periods in the Pages: An Investigation into Menstrual Education and Student Perceptions in Government Schools of Visakhapatnam, India.
- 1Department of English & Other Languages, GITAM Deemed to be University, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India.
- 2Department of English & Other Languages, GITAM Deemed to be University, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India. [email protected].
Abstract
Background
Menstruation, a natural biological process, continues to be stigmatised in many societies worldwide, significantly impacting adolescent girls' understanding, educational experiences, and attitudes. Recognising the need to address these challenges, menstrual education has increasingly been incorporated into school curricula to address menstrual myths, promote appropriate menstrual hygiene practices, and improve adolescent health and well-being. However, limited research in Indian school contexts has examined how menstruation is represented in curricula and how students and teachers perceive this content.Methods
This study adopts a mixed-methods research design to examine representations of menstruation in school science textbooks and the perceptions of students and teachers. Structured questionnaires were used to collect data from 252 post-menarcheal girls in grades 7-9 in government schools of Visakhapatnam, India. Additionally, 13 teachers filled out questionnaires about their experiences teaching menstruation-related topics. Relevant science textbooks were reviewed to assess their content, tone, and coverage of menstrual education. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics (frequencies and proportions). Chi-square tests of independence were conducted to examine associations between variables, including attitudes towards menstrual education, sources of information, biological understanding, and perceptions of stigma. The analysis was performed using Jamovi version 2.7.23, with a significance level set at p < .05.Results
The findings emphasise that menstrual education is included in the school curriculum; however, students reported varying levels of comfort and engagement during classroom discussions. Although textbook descriptions were perceived as clear and respectful, both students and teachers identified limitations in depth of content and the absence of sociocultural and practical issues related to menstruation. Teachers also reported facilitating open discussion on the topic.Conclusion
Although menstrual education is formally included in school curricula, it may lack depth, inclusivity, and effective pedagogical delivery. Strengthening menstrual health education and creating supportive classroom environments may help reduce stigma and enhance adolescents' understanding of menstruation. Greater inclusion of all genders in classroom discussions may also help address broader socio-cultural issues.
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BibTeX
@article{l2026periods,
title = {{Periods in the Pages: An Investigation into Menstrual Education and Student Perceptions in Government Schools of Visakhapatnam, India.}},
author = {Sirisha P L P and P Padmavathi},
journal = {BMC women's health},
year = {2026},
month = aug,
doi = {10.1186/s12905-026-04693-8},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/43009924},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Periods in the Pages: An Investigation into Menstrual Education and Student Perceptions in Government Schools of Visakhapatnam, India.
AU - Sirisha P L P
AU - P Padmavathi
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/08/01
JO - BMC women's health
DO - 10.1186/s12905-026-04693-8
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/43009924
AB - Background Menstruation, a natural biological process, continues to be stigmatised in many societies worldwide, significantly impacting adolescent girls' understanding, educational experiences, and attitudes. Recognising the need to address these challenges, menstrual education has increasingly been incorporated into school curricula to address menstrual myths, promote appropriate menstrual hygiene practices, and improve adolescent health and well-being. However, limited research in Indian school contexts has examined how menstruation is represented in curricula and how students and teachers perceive this content.Methods This study adopts a mixed-methods research design to examine representations of menstruation in school science textbooks and the perceptions of students and teachers. Structured questionnaires were used to collect data from 252 post-menarcheal girls in grades 7-9 in government schools of Visakhapatnam, India. Additionally, 13 teachers filled out questionnaires about their experiences teaching menstruation-related topics. Relevant science textbooks were reviewed to assess their content, tone, and coverage of menstrual education. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics (frequencies and proportions). Chi-square tests of independence were conducted to examine associations between variables, including attitudes towards menstrual education, sources of information, biological understanding, and perceptions of stigma. The analysis was performed using Jamovi version 2.7.23, with a significance level set at p < .05.Results The findings emphasise that menstrual education is included in the school curriculum; however, students reported varying levels of comfort and engagement during classroom discussions. Although textbook descriptions were perceived as clear and respectful, both students and teachers identified limitations in depth of content and the absence of sociocultural and practical issues related to menstruation. Teachers also reported facilitating open discussion on the topic.Conclusion Although menstrual education is formally included in school curricula, it may lack depth, inclusivity, and effective pedagogical delivery. Strengthening menstrual health education and creating supportive classroom environments may help reduce stigma and enhance adolescents' understanding of menstruation. Greater inclusion of all genders in classroom discussions may also help address broader socio-cultural issues.
SN - 1472-6874
ER -