Menstrual hygiene is a vital aspect of women’s reproductive health, yet it remains insufficiently addressed among women from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Many women continue to experience barriers such as poverty, inadequate sanitation facilities, limited access to clean water, lack of privacy, poor awareness, and restricted healthcare services. Studies from low- and middle-income countries indicate that unhygienic menstrual practices—including the reuse of old cloth, infrequent changing of absorbents, inadequate handwashing, unsafe disposal methods, and improper drying of reusable materials—are largely influenced by structural inequalities and sociocultural stigma rather than personal choice (Thapa et al., 2019; Afiaz & Biswas, 2021; Asumah et al., 2022). These challenges have been linked with reproductive tract symptoms, genital irritation, menstrual discomfort, psychological stress, and reduced participation in education, employment, and social activities (Juyal et al., 2014; Rastogi et al., 2019; Nwimo et al., 2022). Although much of the available evidence is based on cross-sectional studies and causal relationships remain complex, the overall findings suggest that poor menstrual hygiene contributes to preventable reproductive health problems and deepens existing gender and health inequalities (Hennegan et al., 2019; Tembo et al., 2023). This narrative review summarises existing evidence on menstrual hygiene practices among low-income women, explores their implications for reproductive health, and emphasises the need for multi-level interventions including affordable menstrual products, improved WASH facilities, stigma reduction, and stronger integration into healthcare systems and public policy.
Economically backward women, Low-income, Menstrual Hygiene, Psychological stress, Reproductive health, Reproductive tract infection, Sanitation, Women’s health equity, WASH.
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