Table 2.
Respondents' level of awareness of menstruation at menarche and their reactions on seeing their first menstrual blood.
Variable | Subgroup | Number of respondents | Percentage |
---|---|---|---|
Did you know of menstruation before it started? | Yes | 215 | 73.4 |
No | 71 | 24.2 | |
| |||
First source of information on menstruation | Teachers/school | 159 | 54.3 |
Elder sister | 7 | 2.4 | |
Mother | 63 | 21.5 | |
Friends | 19 | 6.5 | |
Others | 10 | 3.4 | |
| |||
Reaction on seeing blood flow from your genitals the first time (n = 273) | Discomfort | 8 | 2.9 |
Surprise | 13 | 4.8 | |
Shyness | 5 | 1.8 | |
Fear and panic | 105 | 38.5 | |
Sadness | 10 | 3.7 | |
Indifference | 92 | 33.7 | |
Happiness | 27 | 9.9 | |
Confusion | 13 | 4.8 | |
| |||
Who was the first person you discussed your menstruation with? | Teacher | 5 | 1.7 |
Elder sister | 34 | 11.6 | |
Mother | 181 | 61.8 | |
Father | 9 | 3.1 | |
Friends | 15 | 5.1 | |
Other relatives | 16 | 5.5 | |
Nobody | 20 | 6.8 | |
| |||
Did the person you first discussed your menarche with educate you enough on menstruation (n = 276)? | Yes | 198 | 72.5 |
No | 65 | 23.8 |