Tips To Maintain Good Menstrual Health Hygiene

Most females go through periods very secretively and do not bother to figure out whether they are following a hygienic practice or not. Many times, they may use the same cloth for a whole day. Such practices are common in villages and small towns where women rely on clothes during their periods. And, since periods are still treated as taboo in many localities, women are not allowed to use detergent to wash their soiled clothes. 

To prevent the infections caused due to improper periods handling, women need to learn certain Menstrual Health Hygiene practices.

These are as follows:

1. Select An Appropriate Method Of Sanitation

In today’s world, with the advancements in scientific studies, the methods to improve menstrual health has also increased. Now, women can follow many ways to maintain good menstrual hygiene. These include the use of:

• Napkins.
• Tampons.
• Menstrual cups.

In urban regions of India, most youngsters prefer to use sanitary napkins. While some also prefer to use a tampon. While using tampons, it is essential to opt for a product that has an appropriate absorbency rate as per the menstrual flow. There are also some who opt for either different types of sanitary pads on different days of periods or multiple methods of protection. The best way to maintain good Menstrual Cycle Health lies with using a single brand product for a single type of protection. It is because frequent switching between brands cause inconvenience.

2. Change Regularly

After leaving the body, menstrual blood gets contaminated by the microorganisms. It is because the blood leaving the body is a rich source of protein for microorganisms. The same principle applies to those days as well when a female does not undergo excessive bleeding. During those days, the pad remains damp due to urination and sweating. Dampness provides comfort and warmness to organisms, which helps them to multiply gradually. The multiplication over the long term can cause problems like urinary tract infection, vaginal infections, and skin rashes.

To minimize the multiplication of microorganisms, it is good to replace a sanitary pad in an interval of six hours, while for a tampon, it should be done once every two hours. Regular changing helps in maintaining good Menstrual Health Hygiene. The changing schedule also depends on a woman-to-woman basis as some women face heavy flow. Due to this, they need to replace the pads more often.

It is important to note women should compulsorily replace the pads after six hours of use even if the pad remains partially utilized. The consideration is essential because the long use of pads and tampons might cause toxic shock syndrome (TSS). This syndrome leads to severe vaginal infections and sometimes even death.

3. Regular Wash

During Women Period Cycle, the discharged blood tends to enter tiny pores of the skin region between labia or crust. To prevent the absorption of blood in these pores, it is essential to wash the vaginal space regularly. Regular washing prevents the infection and beats the bad odour coming out from the discharged blood. If it is not possible to wash due to resource limitations, then make sure to wipe off the region through toilet or tissue paper. This

4. Avoid Soaps Or Vaginal Hygiene Products

The vagina has its own cleaning mechanism that maintains a healthy balance between good and bad bacteria. Cleaning this space with soap or other hygiene products can destroy the population of good bacteria. This may lead to the chances of severe vaginal infections. For washing this region, a woman can use lukewarm water. In contrast, soaps are good for maintaining the hygiene of the outer vaginal region.

5. Follow The Right Washing Technique

While going through their menstruation cycle, women should wash or clean the region in a motion that starts from the vagina to the anus. They should avoid washing in the opposite flow because it allows bacteria from the anus to lodge in the vagina and urethral opening. Once the bacteria enter these regions, they cause severe infections.

6. Properly Handle The Used Sanitary Products

The handling of the used pads or tampons is essential because the used ones can spread infections and foul smells. To avoid these, women should wrap the used napkins appropriately before discarding them. They should avoid flushing the pad or tampon down the toilet as this may block the toilet’s drainage system.

It is important to wash hands with soap after discarding. This helps in preventing the further spread of microbes.

7. Take Regular Bath

Many people may treat it as the most inane advice, but, in many cultures, it is believed that a woman should avoid bathing during her periods. This practice is based on the fact that in ancient times, people took baths in open regions like rivers or lakes. And a woman going through her periods may pollute the water bodies. This fact is absolutely correct if we consider the narrative of ancestors. However, with the advancement in civil architecture and drainage facilities, this myth does not show any relevancy.

Now, in every household, there is a separate region for bathing, and the drainage system does not link directly with the river bodies. Hence, women can take a bath without worrying about water body pollution. Regular bathing enhances the mood and cleanses the private parts well. Bathing also helps in relieving menstrual cramps and backaches. This helps in making a woman feel less bloated along with maintaining good Menstrual Cycle Health.

Final Words

The practices discussed above are very good for women to maintain their menstrual health. See, the tradition and cultural values are good and are necessary to follow, but it is also essential to ignore the negative traits. It is because time changes everything; the things which were suited for ancient cultures have no relevance in the modern world.

To normalize the use of sanitary wear, male members of society have to play an important role. They should encourage and empower their female counterparts to follow Menstrual Health Hygiene practices. For this purpose, NGOs and other social services groups should conduct social awareness campaigns. Also, the male members in a family should encourage female members to use sanitary products. This will help in creating a society where they feel secure talking about their problems and issues.