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Although one in three Hong Kong girls have menstrual problems that interfere with their daily activities, their knowledge about menstruation is poor and few seek medical help, according to a study published in the February issue of the Hong Kong Medical Journal.
The study, by a team from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, surveyed 5609 girls from 10 secondary schools, and found that a “significant proportion had poor understanding of the normal menstrual cycle length.”
The study also found that the age at which Hong Kong Chinese girls have their first menstrual period, or menarche, is falling. Twenty years ago, the median age at menarche, measured in a World Health Organization study, was 12 years and nine months. But in this recent study the median age at menarche was 12.1 years.
One third of the girls surveyed reported that heavy menstrual periods forced them to reduce their normal daily activities. Twelve percent said they had to miss school because of menstruation-related problems, however only 6.4 percent of all girls had sought medical help for this. Most of the girls who saw doctors did so because a family member advised them to, and because their symptoms were severe.
“The prevalence of menstrual problems in Chinese adolescent girls is high and may adversely affect their education and daily activity” the study authors conclude. “However their knowledge is often poor and only a minority seek medical advice.”
“Proper education about menstruation and its related problems is important for both the adolescent girls and their mothers, in order to prevent avoidance of medical care.”
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