Menstrual Hygiene for a good tomorrow
E M Shimitha
What is menstruation? As you all know, it is nothing but the discharge of blood and mucus from inner lining of uterus know as endometrium through vagina. It is occurring due to rise and fall of hormones in our body. First period is known as menarch and it usually starts during puberty period (12-16). Last period is known as menopause and it occurring during the age of 50. Menstruation is something very important and its plays an important role in every women’s life. As menstruation, menstrual hygiene is also very important. In our society, we need proper education on menstruation and menstrual hygiene. So lets talk about it!!!!!
An accepted definition of menstrual hygiene management is
“women and adolescent girls use a clean material to absorb or collect menstrual blood, and this material can be changed in privacy as often as necessary for the duration of menstruation.”- wiki
There is also another term which is more wider than menstrual hygiene, that is menstrual health. It deals with menstruation with education, gender, human rights, equity and so on. Now what are the systematic factors of menstrual hygiene? That include timely knowledge of menstruation, safe, available and affordable materials of menstruation, washing facilities, sanitation etc. Poor menstrual hygiene will lead to high health risks, mainly urinary and reproductive tract infections. Unwilling to wash hands after using menstrual products can cause infections such as hepatits B and thrush. We have to create an awareness about menstruation and menstrual hygiene in our society where people hesitate to talk menstruation. Menstruation is nothing bad, it is pure thing through which a new future bud develops.
Every year, we are celebrating a day, 28 may as menstrual hygiene day. It is celebrated for breaking taboos of menstruation and raising awareness of importance of menstrual hygiene. The day is celebrated on 28 may, because average menstrual cycle lasts 28 days in length. The theme of world menstrual hygiene day 2022 is “ to create a world where no women or girl is held back because they menstruate by 2030”
Wash yourself regularly
When you bleed, there is a chance for entering blood in skin between our labia or crust around the vagina. So we have to wash daily the excessive blood. It also removes bad smell from our vaginal area during menstruation. So wherever you change your pad, it is important to wash your vagina and labia for proper hygiene of your secondary reproductive parts.
Change your sanitary pad regularly
Keeping same pad for hours will lead to skin rashes, vaginal infection and urinary tract infection. Normally we have to change our pad once in six hours, tampon- once in two hours and menstrual cup- once in 10 hours (according to our bleeding).
Use a proper washing technique
Right motion to wash our vagina is from vagina to anus. Never wash in opposite direction. Washing opposite direction causes transmission of bacteria from anal portion to vagina and that will lead to infections.
Discard the sanitary pad properly
It is important to discard our used pad and tampons properly, because that are capable of spreading infections and also smells foul. It is better to wrap those ones in a paper, so that the smell and infection cannot spread that much. Also do not flush the used pads, because it may lead to blocking of toilet.
Take a bath regularly
There was a myth that women do not have to bath during their menstruation. Bathing clean both your body and your private parts. It also helps to reduce menstrual cramps, backpain and refresh our mood. If you have severe backpain or menstrual cramp, just stand under a shower of warm water and that will help you to get rid from it to some extent.
Read more: Sexual transmitted disease
[…] Read more: Menstrual Hygiene […]