Menstruation: Still a Taboo

It is the 21st century, and yet there are menstrual taboos in the Indian society.Most of the people consider menstruation as a topic to be discussed behind the closed doors. According to the Medical Science, menstruation is a normal process occurring in women every month. It is normal vaginal bleeding that occurs as a woman's monthly menstrual cycle. Yet women in the Indian society do not feel comfortable to speak about it. In India, about 60% of girls who have hit the age of puberty have no idea about periods, until they get their first. Most of the educational institutions do not care to discuss and educate girls about menstruation. And this leads to the aftermath of misconceptions. Unhygienic practices during the periods is also a rising problem due to lesser knowledge and unawareness. Those living in the rural areas, are mostly deprived of the sanitary napkins and use cloth. Using a cloth isn't bad, but it should be free from any kind of micro organisms that can cause vaginal infections. It should be made of cotton (to avoid rashes) and should be properly sterilized in boiling water and dried in bright sunlight. Use of sanitary napkins is raising concern about their decomposition. They are no longer considered eco-friendly because most part of it is made up of plastic which is non degradable. Hence opting for organic pads, menstrual cups, sterilized cotton cloth pad is trending these days. Menstrual cups are made of silicone and they can be reused by sterilizing them after one use. They can be used up to almost 5,10 years. But insertion, removal, pain are the questions in the minds of women. But acquiring proper knowledge of the technique and it's frequent use can erase these questions. Plus disposal isn't a problem with the cups. 

   Maintaining hygiene during the periods is of utmost importance for the reproductive health of women. Vaginal area should be properly washed and dried. Warm water should be used instead of the soap-like irritants. Recurrent infection can be avoided by maintaining proper hygiene.
    Paid menstrual leave is another rising question in India and many other developing countries. Most of the women , at work place confront weird expressions on demanding a menstrual leave. Most of the times, changing a pad or even finding a pad , tampon(if the period strikes early)  is a problem at many workplaces and even schools and colleges. Many government schools lack separate washrooms for girls which becomes a reason for girls to dropout of the school after hitting puberty. A large percentage of women suffer due to the problems like PCOS, Menorrhagia, Dysmenorrhoea , PID , etc. Hence a paid leave of two days every month and better facilities at the workplaces and educational institutions is a thought to be thought on. Women from all sectors, sections and classes are liable for the leave. Because almost all women suffer from dysmenorrhoea and Pre-menstrual Syndrome. A group of women aren't in the favour of this idea of leave as they believe it can create bias at the workplace and they would have to face lesser pays, slower promotions and unfair treatment. 
  For all the menstrual taboos , one religion or a group , race or a sacred text cannot be blamed. These are probably created by the human minds. 

 

 Even the ancient Ayurveda Science, gives importance to the menstruation and there is a brief description in the texts about it and what women should follow to remain healthy during their periods. आर्तव/रज ( menstrual bleed ) is the part of normal physiology of woman. The रजस्वला परिचर्या says that menstruating should be given rest from all the works , and the woman should focus on her diet. लघ्वान्न ( easy to digest food and in lesser quantity) is indicated during this period. Hygiene should be maintained. Sleeping during the day should be avoided but resting and laying down is encouraged. If a woman's menstrual cycle is regular and the आर्तव  is शुद्धः and the uterus is without any abnormalities, the woman is fit to conceive whenever she wants to. 

 

 Problems like PCOS, Fibroids , etc can not only create problems in conception but most importantly can affect the overall health of a woman. Seeking the help of a gynaecologist and speaking about the problems is to be motivated. 
  A society where women can freely and comfortably discuss about their menstrual problems and periods, is anticipated. 
                             

                                Regards,  
                           आयुर्वेदाभ्यासकः।