Beliefs of Orthodox Jewish girls about menstruation.

A questionnaire about attitudes and beliefs concerning menstruation was answered by 281 pupils at a boarding school for Orthodox Jewish girls in Israel. Nearly 90% of the girls expected to experience pain with their periods. Half the girls thought they could not go swimming during their periods. In connection with religious beliefs, several girls thought they could not prepare food or wine during their period, 27% thought they could not handle holy books or go to a cemetery, 9% thought that they could not go to the synagogue. Attitudes of the Orthodox Jewish religion to menstruation are discussed, along with the importance of recognizing cultural differences in the school and the surgery.