School-based assessment of menstrual irregularities and their predictors among adolescent girls in rural Bangladesh: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND

Regular menstruation in females serves as a critical indicator of reproductive health. Adolescent ages 10-19 years are vital for development, but irregular menstruation can disrupt healthy growth and well-being, negatively impacting reproductive life. This study examined the prevalence of irregular menstruation, and its associated factors among adolescent girls in rural Bangladesh.

METHODS

This school-based cross-sectional study was conducted from January to April 2022 in Chandpur district, Bangladesh. We recruited 328 adolescent participants whose menstruation had begun. A stratified sampling technique was used to enroll the participants. Through a structured questionnaire, sociodemographic information, menstruation history, and anthropometric data were collected. Regression analyses were performed to determine the associations between outcome and exposure variables.

RESULTS

The prevalence of irregular menstruation among school-going adolescents was 22.3%, with anemia at 38.7%. Among those with irregular menstruation, 34.2% had anemia. In univariate analysis, abdominal obesity was significantly associated with irregular menstruation (odds ratio [OR] = 2.56; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.41-4.62; P = 0.002), whereas having a father with primary education showed a protective association (OR = 0.48; 95% CI: 0.25-0.93; P = 0.029). In multivariable logistic regression, abdominal obesity remained independently associated with irregular menstruation (adjusted OR [aOR] = 2.22; 95% CI: 1.01-4.88; P = 0.046).

CONCLUSION

In rural Bangladesh, irregular menstruation prevalence among adolescent girls was high, with abdominal obesity as a risk factor and fathers' education as protective. These findings highlight that integration of menstrual health education into rural school health programs is recommended, along with health and nutritional guidance, especially for adolescent girls in remote regions.