Menstrual Hygiene Practices, WASH Access and the Risk of Urogenital Infection in Women from Odisha, India

This paper by Das et al. (2015), published in PLOS ONE, presents findings from a hospital-based case-control study in India which sought to determine the association of MHM practices with urogenital infections. Controlling for environmental drivers, it found that disposable pads, wealth, and space for personal hygiene in the household reduced Bacterial Vaginosis or Urinary Tract Infections. The study was truly unique as this relationship had never before been explored using both symptoms and laboratory diagnosed health outcomes.