Menstruation is natural, yet millions of women suffer shame and humiliation, a pessimism that hinders women from getting medical care, causing them unnecessary suffering. A recent research report titled ‘Combating The Silence From Menarche To Menopause‘ by the Sulabh Sanitation Mission Foundation (SSMF) was released on January 17, 2025, in Mumbai. The report revealed startling statistics – 91.7% of older women delay seeking medical care for menstruation-related health problems owing to the shortage of female doctors.
A recent research report titled ‘Combating The Silence From Menarche To Menopause‘ by the Sulabh Sanitation Mission Foundation (SSMF) was released on January 17, 2025, in Mumbai.
Further, it stated that girls avoid using school lavatories during menstruation because of unclean bathroom conditions like no doors, no water, and no soap. The lack of menstrual hygiene facilities at schools forces schoolgirls to stay home during their menstrual cycle. The report also suggested that girls miss school for up to 60 days.
Menstruation’s disgrace influences women’s physical health, role in society, education, and career as well as their physical appearance. By breaking the silence and tackling the shame an environment in which women have equal access to healthcare, education, and opportunities can be created and menstruation is treated with respect.
The prejudice around menstruation
Menstruation has long been considered a sign of impurity, which results in social marginalising and isolation of women. Periods were occasionally seen as a disaster in ancient civilisations; some even believed menstruation women were ‘possessed by a demon‘ (Knsight, 1991). These ideas set the stage for cultural prohibitions, stories, and stereotypes that still impact perceptions of menstruation now.
Menstruation is associated in many communities with shame, which leads to constrictive behaviours including isolating women during their periods. Across the world, these taboos manifest in harmful practices: in Nepal, the Chaupadi tradition forces women to spend their menstrual cycle in isolated shelters, while in Afghanistan, myths propose women cannot conceive if they bathe during menstruation. In countries like Morocco and Bangladesh, where over 500 million people are underage, people use dirty alternatives like newspapers or tea towels instead of sophisticated sanitary products.
Even in China, it is believed that the mere touch of a menstruating woman will contaminate pickled vegetables. In India, too restrictions can keep women from visiting temples or kitchens. These shared values and behaviours support prejudice, therefore compromising women’s health, education, and social involvement.
Even in China, it is believed that the mere touch of a menstruating woman will contaminate pickled vegetables. In India, too restrictions can keep women from visiting temples or kitchens.
These activities help to promote the maintenance of discrimination and challenge women’s health, access to services, and participation in various social, educational, and professional situations by illustrating the general nature of menstruation restrictions.
Lack of women doctors: a barrier to consultation about menstruation
The shortage of female doctors, especially in low- and middle-income countries, makes it harder for women to address menstrual health issues due to cultural prohibitions. The lack of female healthcare professionals to debunk the myths and misunderstandings about menstruation makes many women and girls afraid to visit the hospitals. The Sulabh Sanitation Mission Foundation’s report about the scarcity of women doctors is particularly relevant here.
The management of menstrual disorders like endometriosis, dysmenorrhea, and menstrual hygiene is more challenging given the shortage of female doctors. Usually, this resistance causes untreated infections, missed diagnoses, and continuous disregard for menstrual hygiene. One female patient from a remote part of Budgam District in Jammu and Kashmir says, ‘I avoid visiting the hospital because I feel ashamed discussing my period problems with a male doctor. Silence is simpler than having to deal with their discomfort or criticism.’
Likewise, gynaecologist Dr Gazalla Tabassum says, ‘Menstruation is still a cause of shame in many communities, and women feel humiliated or uncomfortable sharing their health concerns with male doctors.‘ Female healthcare workers help to reduce stigma by creating a pleasant surrounding where women may express their concerns and receive appropriate treatment. (Malik 2023; Chandra-Mouli & Patel, 2017).
But the gender disparity in occupations related to healthcare is most evident in rural and far-off regions where female doctors are quite under-represented.
But the gender disparity in occupations related to healthcare is most evident in rural and far-off regions where female doctors are quite under-represented. This lack of representation causes extra problems as women may be terrified of male healthcare professionals treating them insufficiently or of judgment. (Batool, 2022; Khan, 2024). Untreated menstrual health issues have a major influence on quality of life, hence their consequences are very important. Sometimes internalised discrimination results in shame and humiliation, which deters women even more from receiving treatment.
Consequences of avoiding medical consultation
Women run major risks including untreated health problems, mental stress, and social isolation if they resist getting medical attention for menstruation-related illnesses because of the stigma surrounding them. Cultural taboos stop therapy, therefore prolonging misery. Menstrual disorders include Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), which can lead to miscarriage, obesity, insulin resistance, infertility, and heart disease. These physical symptoms aggravate mental suffering even more when one considers body image issues and social pressure.
Women suffering from these disorders may feel forlorn and nervous. ‘Women with PCOS often suffer in silence due to stigma and delayed diagnosis, which worsens both their physical and mental health,‘ endocrinologist Dr Showket Mir notes. Often causing chronic discomfort, severe menstrual cramps, and even infertility, endometriosis, another menstrual disorder is marked by uterine-like tissue developing outside the uterus.
Amenorrhoea (absence of periods) may point to hormonal abnormalities unlike dysmenorrhea (painful menstrual cramps), which causes continuous pain. Menstrual abnormalities, dysmenorrhea and amenorrhoea, can all interfere with everyday activities and compromise general health. Particularly for younger girls who lose important instruction, these disorders often lead to school absenteeism.
Menstrually ashamed women may resort to self-medication or avoidance of therapy, therefore aggravating their symptoms and increasing their health risks. Many people avoid getting care out of fear of judgement or misinterpretation, therefore aggravating their mental and physical pain. Lack of honest communication regarding menstruation emphasises the importance of supporting surroundings where women feel free to share their worries instead of isolating themselves.
Lack of honest communication regarding menstruation emphasises the importance of supporting surroundings where women feel free to share their worries instead of isolating themselves.
Menstrual health problems affect absenteeism from job or school, reduce production, and cause more general problems with gender equality both socially and financially. Many times, women have to secretly control their symptoms, which lowers their involvement in the workforce and school.
The way forward: breaking barriers
In essence, the stigma around menstruation keeps women from seeking medical attention; so, breaking down this obstacle calls for a combined strategy. Future developments in education, media campaigns, and more women entering medical professions might assist in normalising menstruation and dispel some of the false ideas about it.
One reason female doctors are regarded as so important is women feel more at ease talking about female issues with their doctors. Complementing women’s access to telemedicine, community outreach, and support groups is also very essential. Men who participate in these activities contribute to reducing bias and increasing empathy. These methods will guarantee the fair treatment of women, assist us to remove barriers and improve the outcomes of menstrual health.
References:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8409632
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK565666/?
https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/the-laws-of-niddah
https://www.care-international.org/stories/period-taboo-universal-problem
Chandra-Mouli, V. and Patel, S. V. (2017). Mapping the knowledge and understanding of menarche, menstrual hygiene and menstrual health among adolescent girls in low- and middle-income countries. Reproductive Health, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-017-0293-6
Malik, M., Hashmi, A., Hussain, A., Khan, W., Jahangir, N., Malik, A., … & Ansari, N. (2023). Experiences, awareness, perceptions and attitudes of women and girls towards menstrual hygiene management and safe menstrual products in pakistan. Frontiers in Public Health, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1242169
Syeda Farah Batool and Sarwat O Shafiq (2022). Understanding women’s perceptions and practices regarding menstrual hygiene: a qualitative study.. International Journal on Women Empowerment, 8, 33-37. https://doi.org/10.29052/2413-4252.v8.i1.2022.33-37
Khan, M. N., Khanam, S. J., Chowdhury, A. R., Hossain, R., Kabir, M. A., & Alam, M. B. (2024). Menstrual hygiene management among reproductive‐aged women with disabilities in bangladesh. Health Science Reports, 7(10). https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.70145
Boyers, M., Garikipati, S., Biggane, A. M., Douglas, E., Hawkes, N., Kiely, C., … & Mason, L. (2022). Period poverty: the perceptions and experiences of impoverished women living in an inner-city area of northwest england. Plos One, 17(7), e0269341. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0269341
Chang, Y., Hayter, M., & Lin, M. (2011). Pubescent male students’ attitudes towards menstruation in taiwan: implications for reproductive health education and school nursing practice. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 21(3-4), 513-521. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2702.2011.03700.x
Chaupadi, a tradition in Nepal, turns menstruating women into untouchables
About the author(s)
She is a Research Scholar, currently dedicated to pursuing her doctoral studies in the field of Political Science and International Relations. With more than ten years of hands-on experience across various media-related domains, she has established herself as a seasoned Media Professional.
