Menstrual Health as Public Health: Ending the Taboo

The Hidden Half of Health
Every day, at any given time, over 800 million people are menstruating across the globe. Yet for centuries, menstruation has been shrouded in silence, shame, and stigma—relegated to whispers, myths, or outright denial. Even in the most progressive societies, menstruation often remains a private burden, not a public health priority.

But that is changing.

A growing global movement—led by educators, activists, health professionals, and policymakers—is bringing menstrual health into the spotlight, reframing it as not just a women's issue, but a critical public health, human rights, and socio-economic concern.

Menstrual health isn't just about periods—it's about access, dignity, equality, and global wellbeing.

This article explores:

• What menstrual health means from a public health perspective
  
  
• The multifaceted consequences of poor menstrual health
  
  
• How taboos and myths have historically shaped silence and stigma
  
  
• The medical and social implications of neglect
  
  
• Policy successes and challenges in making menstruation mainstream
  
  
• The intersectionality of menstrual inequity
  
  
• Solutions to normalize, prioritize, and protect menstrual health
  

Because when half the population menstruates, menstrual health is not niche—it’s national and global health.

1. Understanding Menstrual Health as Public Health
What is Menstrual Health?
According to the definition adopted by the Global Menstrual Health Collective, menstrual health means:

"A state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being in relation to the menstrual cycle."

It includes:

• Access to safe and affordable menstrual products
  
  
• Access to sanitation, privacy, and hygienic facilities
  
  
• Education and awareness about menstruation
  
  
• Supportive environments at school, work, and in healthcare
  
  
• Medical care for menstrual disorders
  
  
• Freedom from stigma and discrimination
  

Menstrual Health is Public Health Because:

• It affects over half the global population
  
  
• It intersects with reproductive health, mental health, education, and labor
  
  
• It can have life-long consequences if neglected
  
  
• It reflects and reinforces gender inequity and poverty
  

2. The Global Impact of Menstrual Injustice
Worldwide Consequences of Poor Menstrual Health:

• School absenteeism: Millions of girls miss school due to lack of products or facilities
  
  
• Workplace absenteeism: Women lose days of income or productivity due to period pain or embarrassment
  
  
• Infections and diseases: Using unclean rags or prolonged use of pads/tampons causes UTIs and reproductive tract infections
  
  
• Delayed diagnosis: Conditions like endometriosis or PCOS are often normalized and undiagnosed for years
  
  
• Mental health toll: Shame, secrecy, and misinformation lead to anxiety, depression, and social withdrawal
  

In many parts of the world, people still use ash, cow dung, or newspaper during menstruation. Others are forced into isolation huts or forbidden from touching food, water, or people.

These are not isolated cultural quirks—they are public health crises rooted in systemic neglect.

3. Menstrual Taboos: A Historical Overview
Silence in Medicine
Historically, menstruation was excluded from medical discourse:

• Ancient texts considered it “impure” or “toxic”
  
  
• Female reproductive anatomy was studied far later than male anatomy
  
  
• Even today, medical training often glosses over menstrual disorders unless they affect fertility
  

Cultural Myths and Religious Stigma
In many cultures, menstruation is still surrounded by harmful beliefs:

• “Menstruating women are unclean”
  
  
• “They should not cook, pray, or enter temples”
  
  
• “Periods attract evil spirits or snakes”
  
  
• “Tampons cause loss of virginity”
  

These taboos lead to silence in families, lack of education, and policy inertia.

4. Menstrual Disorders: The Medical Toll of Ignorance
Menstruation is not a monolith. Many people experience disorders that severely impact quality of life.

Common Disorders Include:

• Dysmenorrhea (painful periods)
  
  
• Endometriosis (misplaced uterine tissue causing pain and infertility)
  
  
• Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) (hormonal imbalance and irregular periods)
  
  
• Menorrhagia (heavy bleeding)
  
  
• Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) (severe PMS affecting mental health)
  

The Problem?

• These are often normalized as "just bad periods"
  
  
• Many sufferers wait 7–10 years for a diagnosis
  
  
• Medical gaslighting is common—especially for women and gender-diverse people
  
  
• Lack of menstrual tracking in clinical care delays identification of red flags
  

If chest pain or rectal bleeding happened monthly, we’d treat it urgently. But menstruation? It's often dismissed.

5. Menstrual Equity: A Socioeconomic and Racial Lens
Period Poverty
Period poverty is the inability to afford menstrual products or sanitation. It's a widespread issue, even in high-income nations.

• 1 in 5 girls in the U.S. have missed school due to lack of menstrual products
  
  
• In the UK, 10% of teenage girls cannot afford period supplies
  
  
• Many incarcerated women or homeless populations lack regular access to products
  

Intersectionality Matters
Marginalized groups face layered barriers:

• Transgender and nonbinary individuals face stigma and exclusion from gendered health campaigns
  
  
• Black, Indigenous, and migrant communities face additional barriers to healthcare and education
  
  
• Disabled individuals may have mobility, sensory, or support limitations that complicate menstrual management
  

Menstrual health equity requires a justice-centered approach, not just free pads.

6. Making Menstruation Mainstream: Policy Progress
In recent years, several countries have taken bold public health measures to prioritize menstrual health:

New Zealand

• Provides free menstrual products in all schools (since 2021)
  

India

• Launched the Menstrual Hygiene Scheme providing pads and education to adolescent girls in rural areas
  
  
• Removed luxury tax on menstrual products after public pressure
  

Scotland

• First country to make menstrual products completely free by law (Period Products Act, 2020)
  

United States

• Growing number of states mandate free products in schools or prisons
  
  
• The Menstrual Equity for All Act has been introduced in Congress
  

These examples show that policy can dismantle stigma and reduce structural barriers—when there’s political will.

7. Education: The First Line of Defense
Lack of menstruation education contributes to fear, confusion, and harmful behaviors.

The Case for Comprehensive Menstrual Education:

• Normalize periods as a biological process, not a curse
  
  
• Teach boys and men as well—build empathy, not mockery
  
  
• Include menstruation in school curricula, community outreach, and workplace training
  
  
• Address cultural taboos through storytelling, art, and media
  

The earlier young people learn about menstruation, the more likely they are to manage it safely, confidently, and without shame.

8. Menstrual Health and Mental Wellbeing
The psychological toll of poor menstrual health is often underestimated.

Linked Mental Health Issues:

• PMDD is associated with severe depression and suicidal ideation
  
  
• Adolescents with heavy or painful periods have higher rates of school-related anxiety
  
  
• Trans people managing menstruation often face dysphoria and discrimination
  
  
• Shame and secrecy fuel low self-esteem and social withdrawal
  

Menstrual health must be integrated into mental health frameworks, including school counselors, digital health apps, and therapy sessions.

9. The Role of Technology and Innovation
Technology is transforming the way we understand and manage menstrual health:

Menstrual Health Innovations:

• Period-tracking apps (Clue, Flo, Natural Cycles)
  
  
• Wearable menstrual monitors
  
  
• Digital education platforms and AI-informed symptom checkers
  
  
• Reusable products (menstrual cups, period underwear, biodegradable pads)
  
  
• Telemedicine focused on gynecologic care and menstrual disorders
  

While innovation is promising, access and inclusivity must guide development. Not everyone owns a smartphone—or can afford app subscriptions.

10. What Still Needs to Change
Despite progress, menstrual health is not yet fully mainstreamed in public health discourse.

Challenges Include:

• Underfunded research into menstrual disorders
  
  
• Lack of menstrual data in health surveys
  
  
• Medical curriculums that ignore menstruation
  
  
• Uneven distribution of policy reforms
  
  
• Societal resistance to discussing periods openly
  

Menstrual health should be as routine as dental hygiene or sexual education—yet it’s often treated as a side note.

11. Recommendations: Moving Forward
For Governments and Policymakers:

• Mandate free products in schools, prisons, and public spaces
  
  
• Invest in menstrual health research and surveillance
  
  
• Declassify menstrual products as luxury items
  
  
• Integrate menstrual health into reproductive, mental, and public health policies
  

For Medical and Educational Institutions:

• Train health providers to recognize and respect menstrual concerns
  
  
• Include menstrual health in medical training and public health programs
  
  
• Provide comprehensive education to all genders
  

For Workplaces:

• Offer menstrual leave or flexible sick day policies
  
  
• Stock menstrual products in workplace restrooms
  
  
• Normalize conversations about menstruation in HR and wellness initiatives
  

For Society:

• Challenge stigma through storytelling and community dialogue
  
  
• Include men and boys in the movement
  
  
• Celebrate menstruation as a natural, powerful part of life, not a source of shame
  

Conclusion: From Whispered Taboo to Public Health Priority
Menstrual health is not about luxury—it’s about dignity, access, and equity. It is central to gender equality, education, economic productivity, and physical and mental health.

For too long, menstruation has been hidden behind closed doors, treated as a nuisance or ignored altogether by public health systems. But the tide is turning. The shift from taboo to mainstream is already underway.

Let us accelerate it—through policy, education, science, empathy, and action.

When menstruation is no longer a cause for shame, but a catalyst for empowerment, we all win.