Menstrual regulation practices in Bangladesh: An unrecognized form of contraception

Menstrual regulation (MR) refers to any chemical, mechanical or surgical process used to induce menstruation and thus to establish non-pregnancy either at the time of, or within a few weeks of, the due date of the menstruation (Population Information Programme, 1973; Tietze and Murstein, 1975; Dixon-Muller, 1988). It involves the vacuum aspiration of the uterine lining and is usually done within few weeks (preferably eight weeks or less) following a missed menstrual period.