Nearly 20 per cent of women and girls in south Asia abstain from regular daily activities during periods, according to a study published in The Lancet Global Health journal. The study found that overall, 15 per cent of girls and women in low- and middle-income countries do not take part in daily activities while menstruating. In west and central Africa, prevalence of menstruation-related absences were the second highest at 18.5 per cent. Researchers, including those from the University of Melbourne, Australia, also found that girls aged 15-19 years are the most affected, with over 17 per cent not participating in regular daily activities while menstruating. The study analysed survey data collected during 2017-2023 from households across 44 countries. Over 6,73,300 women and girls aged 15-49 years were included in this analysis. "The overall pooled prevalence of menstrual-related absenteeism was 15 per cent, with prevalence being highest in south Asia and west and central Africa," t