Menstrual hygiene is very important for the health of girls and women to reduce the risks of infection due to poor menstrual hygiene practices during periods.
When the reproductive organs reach their maturity then menstruation occurs. During menstruation, girls feel physically and behaviourally more uncomfortable.
Girls feel symptoms like headache, abdominal cramps, backache, vomiting, changes in behaviour. So, it is very necessary to discuss, explain and counsel a girl experiencing pubertal changes.
Good menstrual hygiene is very important for the health of girls and women to reduce the risk of infections due to poor menstrual hygiene practices during menstruation. Knowledge and skills on maintaining menstrual hygiene are provided to the girls to improve their school attendance and drop out.
Use of Sanitary Napkin
In earlier times, the cloth was used to absorb the menstrual blood. But the cloth is still used in rural areas. Using cloth can cause skin infections if it is not washed with soap and dried properly in sunlight.
Nowadays, sanitary napkins are used to absorb the flow of blood. Use of a pad prevents the leakage of blood and you can carry out your daily routine activities with comfort. The pad should be changed at least every 4 to 8 hours to prevent body odours. Pads should be discarded properly after being used once.
In some circumstances, when the sanitary napkin is not available then you can go for a cloth pad as a substitute. While using a cloth pad, follow some tips to prevent infections.
- Always use clean cotton cloth for making cloth pads
- It should be changed 3 to 4 times a day
- It should be properly washed with hot water and soap and dried in sunlight.
Females use different pads at different times as appropriate to their activity level. Sanitary napkins are available at grocery, drugstore, departmental stores and come in a variety of styles.
Proper Disposal of Pad
Girls and women need to learn to properly dispose of their sanitary supplies.
- Menstrual pad, pad wrappers, paper packing should never be flushed down to the toilet as they can cause major clogs
- Always wrap the used pad in a newspaper and throw them in the dustbin. Dustbin should be emptied daily to prevent bad odour and bacterial multiplication
- Many public toilets provide specialised trash receptacles just for disposing of used feminine hygiene products
- In rural areas, used pads are disposed of by burying in the deep pit or by burning them
- Some schools have incinerator machines in which a large number of used pads can be burnt
- Never throw the used pad in the open areas.
Teaching Girls how to Manage Menstruation
Young girls need to learn how to cope with the period.
- Once the napkin is wet, should be changed immediately to prevent irritation on the skin and infection
- Clothes should be properly protected from stains
- Take adequate rest and eat a nutritious diet
- Avoid taking tea and coffee
- Take a warm bath and wash the genital area daily
- It is very necessary to wash the private area during menstruation from time to time to remove any blood clots left
- Girls should wash their hands every time they change their napkin
- Discard the pads frequently
- If the underwear is soiled, it should be changed to prevent any bacterial growth and infection
- If sanitary pads are not available then cotton cloth pads can be used in emergency
- Develop the habit of regularly checking and changing hygiene supplies.
Conclusion
In the above post, we have discussed menstrual hygiene in girls. Good menstrual hygiene is very important for the health of girls and women to reduce the risk of infection. Knowledge and skills are provided to the girls regarding the use and disposal of pads during menstruation time.
