Teenage Girls’ Interpersonal Communication with Mothers after Experiencing Menarche in Bangladesh

Abstract

Background In Bangladesh, particularly in rural areas, it is not common for teenage girls to openly discuss sexual and reproductive health (SRH) issues including menarche with their mothers because of cultural taboos and traditional beliefs. In light of this, we aim to explore mother-daughter interpersonal communication in regards to menarche and influencing determinants in Chattogram, Bangladesh. Methods A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted among younger adolescent girls (N = 870) attending grade 7 and grade 8 aged 12–14 years in six high schools. In addition, mothers were also interviewed to obtain more in-depth insights into the issue. Results Among adolescents, 81.6% communicated with their mothers followed by sisters, relatives and friends after experiencing menarche, while 59.9% reported that it was mothers who first commenced interaction with them. More than half (51.7%) stated that they felt shy during interaction with their mothers after menarche. Many mothers transmitted different myths and misconceptions with regards to menstruation, with this more prevalent in rural areas compared to urban settings. Being urban respondents, use of Facebook by mothers, mothers as the prime source of SRH knowledge, and prior knowledge of menarche were reported as the significant predictors (p < 0.05) for the extent of communication between adolescents and mothers. Conclusion The type of communication regarding menarche displayed an unhealthy interactional process and behavioral pattern. Therefore, providing more detailed and comprehensive SRH education in the school curriculum, developing and distributing behavioral change communication materials among mothers and adolescents are urgently required.