Menstrual Hygiene: How to maintain hygiene during periods, Healthy Habits

Menstrual Hygiene – Menstruation, a biological process experienced by about 1.8 billion women each month, worldwide ^[1], is still a topic attached with various taboos and stigmas in many cultures. Menstruation is a natural process occurring in a woman’s body, in which the lining of the uterus breaks down and sheds when the egg is not fertilised. It is in the form of blood and tissues flowing out of the body through vagina. 

Menstrual Hygiene

Even after being an integral part of billions of lives, Menstrual Hygiene is often an overlooked phenomenon, giving rise to severe consequences such as infections, social exclusion, etc. Adequate Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) is not just about maintaining a healthy body, but also a matter of self-esteem, dignity, empowerment and most importantly a matter for education. In this article, we will explore why menstrual Hygiene is important, the challenges many face in maintaining their periods along with some other dimensions. 

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Menstrual Products

The market of menstrual products is expanding day by day. There are numerous menstrual products available for use. Women can choose whatever products they’re most comfortable with. Some of the menstrual products include: 

• Sanitary Napkins/Pads: These are napkins with absorbing material that catches period blood and absorbs it when attached to the inside of underwear. Experts advised you to use M2M sanitary pads for hygiene and comfort.
• Tampons: These are capsule- like absorbent material with a thread at its tail. It requires it to be inserted inside the vagina and absorb period blood. 
• Menstrual Cups: These are bell-shaped products made of flexible medical-grade silicone to collect the menstrual blood (doesn’t absorb fluids). It also requires it to be inserted into the vagina. 
• Period Panties: These are panties/underwear made up of absorbent material to absorb the menstrual blood. 

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Understanding Menstrual Hygiene

Menstrual Hygiene is how one should maintain hygiene while they are on their periods. It is a sensitive process involving the outflow of blood, thus requiring special attention and care to avoid any complications. Understanding Menstrual hygiene is crucial, especially for girls who are at the start of this journey. This can be essential to safeguard women’s dignity, privacy, bodily integrity, building nondiscriminatory attitude,s and for gender equality. 

A study conducted in 2022 in the Tribal Area of  Central India reveals that tribal adolescent girls still do not exercise proper hygiene throughout their periods. Not only that, during menstruation, the majority of girls are still subjected to various restrictions. ^[2] Similar findings are there for adolescent girls from slum areas. ^[3] Many women are still using clothes to manage the blood flow, which is an unhealthy practice and can cause serious health complications. 

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Challenges in MHM

An estimated 500 million people lack access to menstrual products and adequate facilities for menstrual hygiene management ^[4], indicating the need to look deeper into the challenges and barriers that restrict women from accessing the knowledge and information on menstrual hygiene management. 

The stigmas, taboos and shame that are associated with periods can pose a challenge and prevent girls from learning accurate information about menstruation and developing healthy habits. In many cultures, women are considered impure while they’re on their periods and are excluded from attending any religious ceremony or going outside. This hinders their ability to acknowledge who they are and what they can do, affecting their liberty, mobility and dignity, causing additional stress and anxiety. 

This also promotes absenteeism in schools and other educational institutions, affecting their studies. Period poverty is prevalent in low-income countries, restricting people to have access to affordable menstrual products. Lack of knowledge about menstrual hygiene can lead to various negative consequences for women, such as they can get sexually transmitted infections (STIs), bacterial vaginosis, reproductive Track Infections (RTIs), Urinary Track Infections (UTIs), Toxic Shock Syndrome, which can further lead to infertility and birth complications in future. 

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Practices to Follow

To prevent any kind of infections and live a healthy life while menstruating, it is important to maintain hygiene. Here’s how you can do so:

1. The product you use (napkins, tampons, menstrual cups) has a certain limit of absorbing the blood, thus it is important to keep a check on the product to change it whenever it is required. 
2. Napkins should be changed at least every 3-5 hours, no matter how light the flow is. Menstrual Cups should be changed and cleaned every 12 hours, cleaned them everyday after use, sanitized after your period is over by rinsing thoroughly and placing them in boiling water for one to two minutes. Tampons need to be changed every 4-6 hours. 
3. Wash your hands before and after using a menstrual product.
4. Cleaning the genital area is important. For this, using clean water is enough to clean the area every time you change or pass urine. The cleaning should be done from front to back. 
5. Wear lightweight, breathable clothing (cotton underwear).
6. Keep the area dry. 
7. Drink plenty of water and citrus fruits, and food rich in iron and calcium is helpful. 
8. Properly disposing of used menstrual products is essential for both personal and surrounding environments. For this, use a paper to wrap the product and then dispose it at the right place(bin). Don’t flush them down the toilet. 

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Govt. Initiatives and Global Efforts

Menstrual hygiene is linked to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations, such as SDG 3, which aims to ensure good health and well-being for all. SDG 4, which focuses on quality education that is inclusive and equitable, SDG 5 aims at gender equality and SDG 6 emphasises clean water and sanitation for all. Menstrual hygiene is an integral component in all of them to achieve the required target; at the same time, it also helps in empowering women. ^[5]

The government has taken initiatives such as providing sanitary pads for free in government schools. Many educational institutions have sanitary napkin vending machines to get pads easily and also to dispose of them properly. Various NGOs are helping towards the cause by spreading awareness and educating people about menstrual health and hygiene. Some even provide pads at subsidized rates. But, despite these initiatives, there are various loopholes in the system that don’t allow such policies to function at their fullest and benefit only the stakeholders, neglecting common people. 

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A note from Kamarth

Menstrual Hygiene is as important as menstruation itself. It is a natural biological process and should be respected by everyone. Menstruation is unique to women, and it shouldn’t be neglected or sidelined. Instead, women should be encouraged to talk about it openly without any hesitation. For this, there is a need to detach the taboos regarding menstruation and adopt a healthy and open mindset where everyone, despite their gender, can grow at their full potential. Educating everybody about menstrual hygiene is vital to avoid negative consequences such as sexual violence, abuses and discriminatory practices against women. Collective initiatives should be taken by the government, NGOs, and the common people to normalise menstruation and adopt healthy menstrual hygiene habits. 

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Some Additional Doubts

Question: How can parents talk to children about menstruation? 
Answer: Parents can initiate by creating an open and free environment, from their child’s early age so that they can easily talk about such topics and guide them for the better. 

Question: What is Menstrual hygiene and why is it important? 
Answer: Menstrual hygiene consists of practices women follow to manage their periods securely with dignity. It is important for them to prevent any infection and to have a well reproductive health. 

Question: What are common menstrual hygiene products available? 
Answer: There are various products available, and the options are ever-increasing. The most commonly used products are sanitary napkins, tampons, and menstrual cups. 

Question: How often should menstrual products be changed? 
Answer: Pads and tampons need to be changed every 4-6 hours, and menstrual cups to be changed every 8-12 hours to prevent any potential bacterial infection. 

Question: What are the risks of poor menstrual hygiene? 
Answer: Poor menstrual hygiene can give rise to various bacterial infections such as Reproductive Tract infections (RTIs), Urinary tract infections (UTIs), STIs, having serious implications in the short as well in as long run. 

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