Menstrual Hygiene

                 Observing 28th May as Menstrual Hygiene Day surely helps break the silence and bring awareness to emphasize the need of maintaining cleanliness during menstruation. NO WOMAN SHOULD IGNORE MENSTRUAL HYGIENE at any cost. Menstruation is no more a taboo among the youth; it should not be so. Certain cultures bring in taboos and reservations to discuss some matters; menstrual cycle is one of them. The onset of puberty is a biological event but since long it has never been discussed openly. There was a time when menstruation was associated with witches, shame and taboo. It is shocking to see that even in 2018 some women consider it wrong to enter religious places, cook food or participate in socio-cultural activities during period. They learn this myth  that menstruation is impure and body is cursed during this time. How illogical and false! 

                       Before sanitary pads/tampons/menstrual cups were invented, women were known to use 'rags'. Even today, most of the women in India use cloth or rags who can not afford menstrual hygiene products. The sorry state of menstruation in our country is when girl students drop schools because of the lack of sanitary napkins, toilets, sanitation and adequate privacy. This is not the state of rural areas; even in urban areas, 'period-friendly' workplaces/educational institutions are  rare. 

                 According to a survey conducted by WHO many reproductive diseases in India are believed to be caused by poor menstrual hygiene. Even the sanitary pad harms the genital area when not changed frequently and also with the chemical material it is made of. Doctors report that there are menstrual abnormalities that many women may experience with heavy bleeding, painful or irregular bleeding as a result of hormone imbalance, growths in the uterus called fibroids or polyps. Heavy period can cause anaemia that further leads to tiredness, weakness and inability to perform daily activities.

Measures necessary during Menstruation:

1. One should use clean undergarments and change them regularly.

2. Sanitary napkins or tampons should be changed after a few hours.

3. Genital area should be washed with plain water (not with soap) after each use of toilet and even after urination.

4.One should keep the area between the legs dry otherwise it becomes sore.

5. Vagina has its own self-cleansing mechanism and an external cleaning agent like deodorant or soap should not be used inside it.

Menstruation is a significant event of a woman's life and it should not be discussed in hushed tones. The need of the hour is healthy and open discussion to erase myths and false thoughts of taboos.