Do girls miss school because of periods?

A quality high-school education can transform a girl's future, yet around the world, many adolescent girls miss school or even drop out altogether for one simple reason: menstruation. Schools often lack the supplies and sanitation facilities girls need for managing their periods.

How many people miss school due to periods?

Period poverty is a global crisis, with estimates of 1 out of every 10 menstruating girls and young women missing school during their menstrual cycle because of lack of access to products and health services. In the U.S, period poverty affects nearly 1 in 4 students, most of them low income and people of color.

Is a period a reason to miss school?

This study found that girls were significantly more likely to be absent from school on days when they experienced their menstrual period relative to other school days, but that the overall impact on attendance was very small, totaling 0.4 days of school missed per girl over a 180 day school year.

How do periods affect school?

The consequence of menstruation-related absences is a significant disruption to students' education and a potentially detrimental impact on their academic performance. Over time, this absence from school can lead to educational disparities that are difficult to bridge.

How do girls deal with periods at school?

Create a Period Kit

It's a good idea to consider putting together a period kit that you can keep in your school bag for peace of mind. Include period supplies like reusable pads, pain relief medication, spare period undies, and even some healthy snacks.

What to do if I get my periods in school?

What grade should a girl get her period?

When do most girls get their period? Most girls get their first period when they're between 10 and 15 years old. The average age is 12, but every girl's body has its own schedule. Although there's no one right age for a girl to get her period, there are some clues that it will start soon.

Should I tell my daughters teacher she started her period?

If your daughter has started her periods, it's a good idea to make her teacher aware.

How many girls miss school because of period poverty?

84% have missed a class or know someone who missed it because they don't have access to menstrual products. 83% of teens believe that the impact of period poverty is not talked about enough. 79% feel that they lack proper education about menstrual health.

Do schools teach about periods?

“Traditionally, all that [students] learn about, as far as menstrual health, is how to use a pad or a tampon,” Holmes said. Lessons are centered on basic hygiene and menstruation in the context of pregnancy. Comprehensive menstrual health education, meanwhile, is rare.

Does a lack of feminine hygiene products make girls drop out of schools?

Studies have proven that lack of access to menstruation products negatively affects school attendance, academic performance, and individual health. Implementing “period policies,” or programs offering free menstruation products, are becoming popular in schools, businesses, and communities in high-income countries.

Is it OK for a 14 year old to miss her period?

A girl's body may not follow an exact schedule. It's common, especially in the first 2 years after a girl starts getting her period, to skip periods or to have irregular periods. Illness, rapid weight change, or stress can also make things more unpredictable.

What's the most a girl can miss her period?

Most women have a period every 28 days, but slightly shorter or longer cycles are common (from 21 to 40 days). See your GP if you've missed more than three periods in a row.

What happens if a 13 year old misses her period?

What causes missed periods? A teen girl may be fine and just a little late with regulating her periods. She may have a hormone imbalance called polycystic ovary syndrome and needs to be checked for high cholesterol and diabetes. She may have an ovary or thyroid problem and need hormones.

Who is most likely to miss school?

In a report published in March, the group said that poor students, students of color, and students who do not speak English at home are the most likely to miss a lot of school. Those students are also more likely to lack the ability to make up for the lost time. There are many reasons why students miss a lot of school.

Should I go to school if my period is heavy?

Speak to your teachers privately - even if your school has a no-toilet-during-lessons policy, most teachers understand that if you have a period you need to go.

What did old sanitary pads look like?

The use of menstrual care products goes back centuries: in ancient Greece, lint wrapped around wood was used as a tampon, and moss as well as buffalo skin were used as pads by Native Americans. In the 18th and 19th centuries, women in Europe used woven fabric or flannel to make homemade cloth pads.

Is it OK to tell your teacher about your period?

Tell your teacher you're having your first period.

Your teacher is there to help you. Wait until there is a pause in class and approach their desk. You might say, "This is my first period. What should I do?" They will then give you some options, such as visiting the nurse or the restroom.

Are boys taught about periods?

While this is the most common way women say they found out about periods, for men it is having being taught at school, at 25% – although men are most likely to not remember where they learned about periods in the first place (38%).

Why do boys learn about periods?

Discuss periods with your sons because:

It makes the topic less taboo and less awkward. It helps them understand girls more, and what they go through every month. It makes them understand that the changes happening with their own bodies are normal, too, and a part of life.

What does Days for Girls do?

Days for Girls works to eliminate the stigma and limitations associated with menstruation so that women and girls have improved health, education and livelihoods. To date, we have reached over 3 million women and girls with our life-changing menstrual health solutions.

How many girls will never go to school?

“The world is failing 130 million girls denied the human right to education – a fundamental, transformative, and empowering right for every human being. Universal access to quality education enables individuals, communities, countries and the world to build wellbeing and prosperity for all.

How many girls still can't go to school?

Every child wants to learn, and every child has the right to an education. But around the world, 129 million girls are missing out on school. From poverty and household chores to conflict and child marriage, girls face multiple barriers in their quest for a quality education.

Do you celebrate when your daughter starts her period?

You can have a group gathering of young girls aged 11-12 and explore this rite of passage in a collective. Or you can wait until the day her period arrives and make it an occasion. If your girl's already had her period for a while, you can still create a meaningful celebration. It's never too late.

Do you get taller after your period?

Myth: menarche means the end of growth is near

The reality is that the average gain in height after menarche is about 7 cm (3 inches), and it is even greater for girls who menstruate on the early side of normal.

Should I celebrate my daughter's first period?

Whitney suggests that before jumping on the period party bandwagon, parents consider the celebration from their daughter's perspective. "You may be excited that she's reached the menarche milestone, but is she?" she notes. "How comfortable is she with the changes happening to her body?