Knowledge of Menarche and Menstrual Cycle Among Adolescent Girls in Ekiti State

The study examined the knowledge of menarche and menstrual cycle among adolescent girls in Ekiti State. Specifically, the study examined the knowledge of female adolescents about menarche and menstrual cycle; the current menstrual hygiene practices among female adolescent; and the challenges facing female students during menarche period. This study was conducted using a descriptive research of the survey type. The population for this study consisted of all the Secondary School female students in Ado-Ekiti Local Government Area of Ekiti State. The sample for this study comprised of 100 female students selected from five (5) public secondary schools using simple random sampling technique. The instrument used for this study was self-structured questionnaire based on the research questions earlier raised in the study. The questionnaire was validated by experts of Tests and Measurement as the reliability coefficient was 0.81. Data were collected and analyzed descriptively via frequency counts and simple percentage. Findings of the study revealed that majority of the female adolescents are knowledgeable about menarche and menstrual cycle. The study also revealed that majority of the female students observed menstrual hygiene practices such as frequent bath, frequent changing of sanitary and use of medicated soap during menstruation. In addition, the major challenges facing some female students during menarche period were poor relationship and feeling irritated during menstruation. It was recommended among others that there is need for parent (mother) to educate their female child on the necessities in coping with menarche challenges.

Keywords: Knowledge, Menarche, Menstrual Cycle, Adolescent, Girls,