Researchers find that teenage girls cannot distinguish between vulvas and vaginas, and also do not know when their menstrual cycle starts

It is important that everyone, but especially girls, women and people who menstruate, understand how ovulation and menstruation work.

The menstrual cycle is a key indicator of overall health and unfortunately problems such as pain, mood swings or abnormal bleeding are common. These have been linked to missing school, avoiding sports And mental health problems.

Understanding the menstrual cycle allows patients to provide accurate history to doctors to maintain good health. This knowledge is also necessary to navigate important milestones such as menarche (the first bleeding), fertility, pregnancy, breastfeeding, and menopause.

Given that knowledge about menstrual health is important for half of the population for approximately 40 years of their lives, it is reasonable to assume that it is an essential part of the school curriculum.

Unfortunately our new research suggests that this is not the case.

Our research

We surveyed teenage girls about their knowledge of the menstrual cycle as part of our broader work, taking a holistic Menstrual Health Literacy Program for schools (which Curtin University has identified as having commercial potential).

To determine what school children need to know, 35 experts consulted in medicine and education. The experts said girls should at least know about ovulation, menstruation and basic anatomy.

We then surveyed 297 female students (mean age 15) who had taken puberty and reproductive science classes at school. More than 92% of respondents had had their periods for about two years on average.

They came from two single-sex schools and seven mixed schools in the Catholic and independent sectors in Western Australia.

Our findings

Our research found that there are alarming gaps in teens’ basic knowledge of anatomy, ovulation and menstruation.

Nearly half of respondents (48.6%) did not know that day one of the menstrual cycle is the first day of menstruation. Less than 9% understood that ovulation occurs about two weeks before their period.

More than 60% of respondents confused the vulva (external genitals) with the vagina (the internal canal that runs from the vulva to the cervix).

Regarding fertility, 43% incorrectly selected 45 years (instead of 35 years) because it is becoming increasingly difficult to get pregnant at that age.

Most respondents (91%) got their information from their mothers, while others relied on friends or apps. Nearly 70% reported experiencing period pain. About 65% reported mood swings and 45% reported nausea during their cycle.

The type of school has no influence

Previous research shows girls prefer to learn about menstruation without boys around.

However, there was little difference between the type of school a student attended (mixed or single-sex) and students’ level of knowledge about the menstrual cycle.

There was also little difference in student knowledge between Catholic and independent schools.

This was surprising, given that the Catholic Church Supports Natural Fertility RegulationThis needs a solid, accurate understanding of the menstrual cycle to be as effective as possible.

We also found that students who used menstrual cycle tracking apps were no more likely to have basic knowledge about their cycle than their peers who did not use these apps. This is similar to findings from previous studies.

Why we need to do more

Many female students in our study appeared to have poor knowledge of menstrual health.

This suggests that there is an urgent need for schools to improve the education they provide about the menstrual cycle. As our previous research recommendedThis should involve the use of evidence-based information presented in a clear and accessible manner.

If patients can’t answer basic questions doctors ask, like “when was your last period?” or “where in your body is this happening?” it can impact diagnoses and treatments. It also means they might not go to the doctor at all, dismissing debilitating pain or heavy bleeding as “normal.”

Our ongoing research is training school staff in menstrual health education and care. This research may be expanded to other school systems and states in the future.

This article has been republished from The conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.