Menstrual hygiene practices: Myths and taboo

Menstrual cycle is an integral part of a female's life which due to the superstitions and myths followed by the families and others in the community, gets dangerously ignored and is not given importance. In rural areas, women still follow rituals which are harmful to their own health and hygiene. In the places where women are not the part of decision-making process in the family, they do not have any say in birth spacing; menstrual hygiene awareness becomes most sensitive and significant for them. Instead of providing proper rest and nutrition to their body, the treatment the women get and do to themselves makes their body prone to harmful diseases and infections. The government has provided various facilities to increase the level of awareness in the rural areas through strengthening Anganwadis and ANM workers. However, the awareness level has not changed much, to which there is an increase in the maternal health and menstrual health related issues. This paper revolves around the situation myths and taboo of women residing in Mopti Khavdi Village of Jamanagar, Guajarat. According to Census 2011 information the location code or village code of Moti Khavdi village is 513600. Moti Khavdi village is located in Jamnagar Tehsil of Jamnagar district in Gujarat, India. It is situated 27km away from Jamnagar, which is both district & sub-district headquarter of Moti Khavdi village. As per 2009 stats, Moti Khavdi village is also a gram panchayat. The total geographical area of village is 1516.39 hectares. Moti Khavdi has a total population of 5, 928 peoples. There are about 1, 104 houses in the village.