Under consideration PE2295: Complete Scotland's Period Poverty Mission with Better Menstrual Health and Menopause Education

Background information

Scotland has made progress in tackling period poverty by introducing free period products. However, access to products alone does not ensure people have the knowledge of their bodies, know the suitability or purpose of the product they have been given, or recognise when they might need medical support.

Many young people leave school with limited understanding of the menstrual cycle, menstrual health conditions such as endometriosis, adenomyosis, Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS) and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), or the impact hormones can have on physical and mental wellbeing across the lifespan. Menopause education is also often overlooked, despite many young people supporting family members, carers and teachers experiencing it and some young people themselves finding themselves utilising medical or surgical menopause as treatment for a condition.

As Scotland develops its new curriculum framework, there is an opportunity to improve health literacy by including dedicated, age-appropriate menstrual health and menopause education.