Onset of menarche is a special period when adolescent girls undergo various social emotional and physiological changes. They often lack knowledge regarding reproductive health which can be due to socio-cultural barriers in which they grow up leading to various misconceptions among girls especially in developing countries. With focus on the school girls, this study aimed to examine the knowledge about menstruation, determinants of menstrual health management and its influence on school-attendance in Ghaziabad. Methods: It was cross sectional study conducted over a period of 3 months from September 2019 to December 2019. All adolescent school going girls (ranging from 10-19 years) who presented in the Gynaecology OPD in Santosh Medical College & Hospital, Ghaziabad, were recruited in the study. They were interviewed after their informed consent using a pretested structured questionnaire which focused on socio-demographic factors, parental factors, knowledge, social restrictions, menstrual health practices and school attendance. Data was analyzed and p value of <0.05 was taken significant. Results: A total of 210 adolescent girls participated in the study with mean age of 13.17±1.67 years (ranging from 10-19 years). About two thirds of girls 130 (61.9%) had knowledge about menstruation and its management. Inadequate social support and presence of taboos can lead to psychosocial consequences like shame, fear, anxiety and distraction from studies which contribute to school absenteeism. About 128 (61%) girls were reported to have been absent from school during their menstruation period. Conclusion: Increasing mothers’ awareness and educating the girls regarding menstrual hygiene may help in improving school attendance
