Menstrual Hygiene: A Challenging Development Issue

     -Sheetal Verma

    Pic Credit: Google

Do you remember the first time you bled, the pain you had suffered and of course the bloating?

I am sure you probably remembered each and every detail of your first menstrual cycle. Everything new happens for the first time but after that you start considering  your menstruation as a part of your daily life. You get used to menstrual cycle  with time, but there are many things and myths related to menstrual cycle which  one should know. So in this article I will be telling you about the most important stuff you should  know about the menstrual cycle and how to live a healthy routine during your  menstruation.    

Firstly, it is really important to track your menstrual cycle which will help you  understand your ovulation process, missed cycle, irregularities and the  difference between the normal and abnormal. First cycle leads to many  hormonal changes in the female body. Irregular or abnormal cycles may  indicate many health problems like PCOD, Uterine cancer etc. You should  properly track and notice the changes and see a gynaecologist if the changes are  considered as abnormal.  

Menstrual cycle is a process which every girl goes through, it’s a part of life  which makes way to form a new life which one should accept rather than to  rebuke. Let’s get to know more about menstrual cycle. So what is a menstrual cycle?  Menstrual cycle is a complex series of changes that occur in the female body  which is controlled by different glands. It has four phases - the menstruation,  follicular phase, ovulation and luteal phase. Every month with the help of  hormones one of the ovary releases a single egg to be fertilized by the male  sperm. When the female egg does not get fertilized, in that scenario it leaves the  female body. And the uterine wall sheds off as it was preparing itself for  carrying foetus. This results in bleeding also called periods.

How to know that you are having a normal cycle?

Every woman has a different number of days in her menstrual cycle which  ranges from 28- 38 days. The days of bleeding tend to decrease with increase in  age. If you are having regular periods every month and for the same number of  days, then it is considered as normal. And the painful and painless period, heavy    or light flow depends on person to person, normal is different for everyone.  ‘Abnormal’ is what is ‘not normal’ for you.  One should always ask a doctor before using oral contraceptives, medicines for  menstrual extension. It can also alter the cycle as it targets the hormones  causing the cycle.

How to track menstrual cycle?

Keeping a track of anything helps you in understanding the things better, same  is with menstrual cycle. You should always remember or mark the days of each  month your period’s starts and maintain a proper record of days you bleed. It  helps your doctor to know your cycle history and will be easy for you to notice  any abnormalities.  You can also maintain a record of the following points given below:  

End date:  What’s the date of your last day of cycle, was it longer or shorter than the previous cycle?  

Flow:  How was the flow different from the last cycle. Do you find any changes  compared to the previous one? Do you get stained even after the cycle ends?  

Abnormal bleeding:  Do you bleed after few days of cycle or in between the  cycle? 

Pain: Do you suffer from pain regularly or occasionally?  

Other changes: What are the behavioural changes you faced during, before or after the menstrual cycle?  

    

What are the reasons behind an irregular menstrual cycle?  

There can be many reason for irregular menstrual cycle.Given below are the  points which can leads to the irregularities in menstrual cycle one should check:  Pregnancy or Breast feeding: Missed period is considered the first reason for  skipped periods as the eggs gets fertilized. When the baby is born and feeds  from the mother’s breast the hormonal changes lead to delay of menstruation.  Eating disorders, extreme weight loss or excessive exercising: Menstrual  cycle is affected from the person’s eating habit and intense exercising. It affects  the body and disbalances the hormone which in turn delays the menstruation.  Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS):  This is the most common cause among  young age girls. Out of five women suffer from this syndrome due to which    they may have irregular periods as well as enlarged ovaries containing fluid  called follicles.  

Premature ovarian failure:  It happens when ovary is not able to fulfil its  function and stops working before the age of 40.Women diagnosed with  premature ovarian failure might have irregular or occasional periods for years.  Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID): Inflammation happens in the reproductive  part which leads to irregular periods.  

Uterine fibroids: These are the noncancerous growths of the uterus. They can  cause heavy and prolonged menstrual periods.

How to prevent Menstrual irregularities?

We have always read ‘prevention is better than cure’ so here are some points to keep in mind for better prevention. You should know your daily routine, eating habits and workouts routine. For some women, use of birth control pills can help regulate menstrual cycles. Treatment for any underlying problems, such as an eating disorder, also might help. However, some menstrual irregularities can't be prevented.

Please reach out to your doctor if :

• Your periods suddenly stop for more than 90 days — and you're not pregnant
• Your periods become erratic after having been regular
• You bleed for more than seven days
• You bleed more heavily than usual or soak through more than one pad or tampon every hour or two
• Your periods are less than 21 days or more than 35 days apart
• You bleed between periods
• You develop severe pain during your period
• You suddenly get a fever and feel sick after using tampons