الفهرس 
IntroductionOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Adolescence is a unique phase of human development. The onset of menstruation represents a landmark event in pubertal development. Among adolescent girls menarche is an important transition event in the female life cycle. It is considered as a significant milestone in a woman’s life and represents a concrete symbol of a shift from girlhood to womanhood. Unlike other gradual pubertal changes menarche usually occurs suddenly and without precise predictability. It is also a socio-cultural event that is shaped and constructed by cultural institutions such as religion, science, and media.
Girls today have access to a variety of sources of information about menstruation. They learn about it from mothers, siblings, peers, teachers, health providers, booklets, films, and advertisements of menstrual products in the teen media. Despite this plethora of resources and efforts to improve the content, mode of presentation, and cognitive accessibility of educational materials much of the information remains impersonal and abstract, and difficult for girls and their mothers to assimilate. Most of them viewed themselves as being prepared for menarche, having discussed this with their mothers, obvious misconceptions on the true physiological process and characteristics of menstruation and the menstrual cycle. This to a large extent influences menstrual practices of these adolescent girls.
Early preparation for menarche and menstruation is important to a girl’s concept of her self as a woman because it teaches her to trust her body or to think of menstruation as a mark of pride or growing up rather tan a burden. Girls who are well prepared for menarche and view it as a positive happening are more likely to cope with menstrual discomforts and pain effectively. Furthermore, they are able to acknowledge and accept this bodily change beside when girls’ wider potentials, such as intellectual or creative capacities, were recognized, they were more likely to describe pleasurable aspects associated with this transition.
In the maturity process of young girls more involvement is needed from parents and schools. Well designed health education and free intra-family communication on menstrual and reproductive education has important contribution to prepare young girls to menarche and its acceptance.