Flipbook onFlipbook onMenstrual Hygiene

YoungHealth

Programme

Published by Plan India June 2011

Please feel free to quote, translate, distribute and transmit parts or all of this publication provided that Plan India is acknowledged.

What is menstruation? Menstruation is the normal, healthy shedding of blood and tissue from the uterus that exits the body through the vagina. Menstruation is also called a girls/woman’s “period.” It usually lasts between three and seven days.

Why do we get menstruation?

When the egg leaves the ovary, the egg travels in the fallopian tube, a soft spongy lining of blood vessels gets formed within the uterus. In case an egg and sperm meet, the lining of the uterus begins to break. The blood that is released from the broken lining, fl ows out of the vagina. This bleeding is the menstrual period. This whole cycle is called menstruation.

What is menarche?

The time when the girl has her fi rst period is known as Menarche. It may take place any time between 8-16 years of age.

1. Egg Maturing

FallopianTube

Ovary

Endometrium

CervixVagina

Uternie Cavity

Uterus Egg

2. Ovulation

4. Menstruation

Egg

Egg3. Ready for Fertilisation

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1. Egg Maturing

Ovary

Endometrium

CervixVagina

Uternie Cavity

Uterus Egg

2. Ovulation

4. Menstruation

Egg

Egg3. Ready for Fertilisation

1. Egg Maturing

Ovary

Endometrium

CervixVagina

Uternie Cavity

Uterus Egg

2. Ovulation

Egg

1. Egg Maturing

FallopianTube

Ovary

CervixVagina

Uterus Egg

2. Ovulation

4. MenstruationEgg

3. Ready for Fertilisation 444. . . MenstruationMenstruationMenstruation

Egg

Egg3. Ready for Fertilisation

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Menstrual cycleThe menstrual cycle is different for different individuals. It begins on the fi rst day of the monthly bleeding and happens almost every month except when a female is pregnant. The complete cycle takes about 28 days, but could be shorter or longer.

Is it normal to have irregular periods?

For the fi rst few years of menstruation, cycles are often irregular, which is normal. They may be shorter (3 weeks) or longer (6 weeks). A young girl may even have only three or four periods a year. A girl’s cycles usually become regular within two to three years after menarche. It is important to mark the date of onset and the date when period gets over on the calendar. This will help you record and be prepared for the next cycle.

Day 1-7 Day 8-14

DayDay 15 15-28

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun

JanuaryJanuary 1 2 3

4 5 6 7 8 9 10

11 12 13 14 15 16 17

18 19 20 21 22 23 24

25 26 27 28 29 30 31

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Day 1-7 Day 8-14 Day 15-28

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun

January 1 2 3

4 5 6 7 8 9 10

11 12 13 14 15 16 17

18 19 20 21 22 23 24

25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Menstrual Cycle

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Managing menstruationManaging menstruation is essentially dealing with menstrual fl ow and also continuing regular activities like going to school, working etc.

What should a girl do when she gets her fi rst period?

You should go and talk to your mother or elder sister, or if in school to your teacher to understand the process and how to maintain hygiene.

What should we do when we get our periods?

First thing is to keep yourself clean during period. You should have a bath regularly and wash your genital area every time you go to the toilet with clean water.

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Products used during menstruationUsing clean cloth

Clean cloth pieces are cut to fi t in the panty area by sewing several layers of cotton rags on top of each other. They must be washed thoroughly and hung in a private but sunny place to dry.

Here’s an easy and less expensive way to make your own pad

• Take any cotton cloth that is clean and dry make fold it in half, then half again - both lengthwise

• Place it in the centre of your panties, and you are all set - cloth against cloth doesn’t move

• more absorbency, simply fold two cloths together

• For waterproof protection, you can cut 3” by 12” (8 cm by 30 cm) strips of a rubberized fl annelette change pad

• To wash, simply rinse out, and wash properly, no special care needed. Drying should be in the sun.

Remember

• The cloth should be washed properly

• It should be dried in the sun properly

• Never share that cloth with anyone

• You should always change it after every 4-5 hours

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Note

Basic steps for menstrual hygiene:

• Change it after every 5-6 hours to avoid staining and odor

• Keep yourself clean and take bath regularly

• You should carry your pads wrapped in a cloth or a small plastic bag, to avoid any embarrassment that your friends might see you carrying such products

• If your panties or clothes get stained with blood, you can soak them in cool, mildly salty water before washing

• Keep the area between the thighs dry and clean otherwise you may develop rashes

• Wash your genital area with water properly, every time you go to the toilet

Products used during menstruationPads or sanitary napkins

• Sanitary napkins come in different shapes, styles, some have removable strips with adhesives tape which sticks to the panties.

• Using a sanitary pad, avoids the hassle of washing and drying cloth. It also helps in keeping the area clean, thus decreasing the chances of infection.

• Sanitary pads cannot be washed or re-used.

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Disposal of sanitary napkinsSanitary napkins have a plastic lining to minimize the spill of blood. If a girl uses pads, she needs to throw them down a pit latrine, bury them, or burn them after use.

They should not be left in the garbage pile or fl ushed down the toilet, as they will cause blockage and may also pose hazardous, because of bacterial growth.

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Nutrition during menstruationIt is important to take healthy, balanced diet, such as eating fruits, green vegetables having milk or milk products, will give you energy.

It is also necessary to take iron rich food such as jaggery, bajra, channa, etc to compensate for the blood loss and prevent anemia.

Cutting down on salt during your period helps to reduce bloating and fl uid retention. Getting proper sleep and doing simple exercises like walking, skipping rope helps you stay fi t and relaxed.

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Coping with stress and discomfortduring menstruationSome girls may not have any problems during menstruation, while others may face some problems like irregular periods, heavy periods which last longer than 8 days and painful periods. If any of these happens regularly, consult the doctor immediately.

Methods to get relief frompainful period symptoms

• Fill a plastic bottle with hot water, wrap it in a towel and place it on the abdomen

• Massage the abdomen

• Take local remedies such as ginger tea

• Do yoga or relaxation exercises

• Take some special pain killers as recommended by a gynaecologist

When do I need to visit the doctor for menstruation?

Even though menstruation is a normal cycle, you may have to go to the doctor in some instances like:

• If you have heavy bleeding and have to change pads after every 3 hours

• If you have bleeding for more than 7 days

• If you don’t get menstruation, till you are 14

• If your cycle is not regular, i.e. you get periods after very 15-20 days

• If you feel very tired or exhausted during your periods or immediately after it

• When your PMS symptoms are too severe to be dealt with.

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Key messages• Menstruation is an absolutely normal process and not an illness. There

is nothing to be ashamed of it or feel dirty

• It is medically safe to do anything that you normally do during menstruation, like engaging in sports and playing games etc.

• One should stay clean and healthy

• Always use clean sanitary protection, store in a clean dry place

• Cloth used as napkins should be washed and dried in the sun

• Sanity products should be disposed off properly – in a deep pit, away from water body, or burn it in an incinerator.

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