Taking a different path: menstrual preparation for adolescent girls living apart from their mothers

Menarche is a significant yet anxiety producing event. Preparation for menarche combats this anxiety. When adolescent girls reach menarche they often seek information about menstruation from their mothers. Yet not every girl lives with her mother. The purpose of my grounded theory study is to explore the menarcheal experience of 16 girls living without their mothers. The findings indicate that prior to menarche participants experienced similarities to girls who lived with their mothers. Differences became apparent at menarche when participants had to wait for an available female to answer questions, did not have a female available to ask, or felt embarrassed discussing menstruation with their fathers. Providers need to be sensitive to menarcheal preparation issues for girls living without their mothers.