MENSTRUAL HYGIENE

THE WOMAN AND HER MENSTRUAL HYGIENE.Menstruation or period is a normal vaginal bleeding that occurs as part of a woman's monthly cycle.As a woman, every month our bodies prepare for pregnancy and if no pregnancy occurs, the womb also known as the uterus sheds its lining which is partly made of blood and tissues from inside the uterus and it passes out through the vagina.Some of the symptoms associated with this all important body chemistry includes;* Abdominal or painful cramps (some people actually get hospitalized for this)* lower back pain also known as waist pain* bloating, sore and painful breasts* food cravings* mood swings/irritability* headache and fatigueMENSTRUAL IRREGULARITIES, WHAT ARE THEY?Most women have their normal cycle ranging from 21 to 35 days, sadly 14% to 25% of women have irregular menstrual cycles which are either shorter or longer than Normal, some are either heavier or lighter than others while others experience some or all of the symptoms listed above.Common irregularities usually experienced by women include1. Amenorrhea: This simply means Absence of periods. Some experience this for 3 months and above even without a pregnancy.2. Oligomenorrhea: infrequent menstrual period which occurs more than 35 days apart.3. Menorrhagia: heavy menstrual periods 4.prolonged menstrual periods that usually exceeds 8 days.5. Polymenorrhea: frequent menstrual periods occurring less than 21 days apart( this is almost everywhere)6. Intermenstrual bleeding: this usually presents as episodes of bleeding that occurs between periods( this is also referred to as SPOTTING)When menstruation sets in, some women use all forms of stuff to manage it ranging from clothes, rags, tampons and nylon based sanitary pads, with only few women using the correct organic cotton based pad.Female hygiene products need to be properly prepared as it poses great risk to the health of a woman. Nylon based sanitary napkins which is readily available now poses a great risk for women but for the purpose of this discourse, I'll limit it to three.1. Components of nylon(synthetic pads are non-biodegradable and contain a chemical called DIOXIN.The WHO describes this DIOXIN as pollutant and carcinogen which does not degrade in the environment easily thereby causing serious effects in the body such as cervical and Ovarian cancer as it can easily be absorbed in the body leading to the alteration and disruption of the hormonal regulatory mechanics leading to infertility.2. INCREASED RISKS OF VAGINAL INFECTIONSThe nylon and synthetic linings of the XYZ pads result in the increased risk of exposure to bacteria and yeasts.The damp environment caused by this pad becomes a breeding ground for bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus and yeast like Candida albicans.These microbes multiply at a very fast rate in humid environments and cause vaginal infections.If left untreated, these microbes can enter the blood stream and cause severe septic shock. Vaginitis can progress into Pelvic inflammatory disease which again has the potential to damage the reproductive ability of a woman.3. COMPROMISED FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH.Most napkins come with very beautiful fragrances yet the price you pay to enjoy this artificial of odour free menstruation is numerous.Most synthetic sanitary pads are laced with this odour neutralizers made from chemicals which can cause complications in reproduction to the effect of infertility.The super absorbent polymer used in sanitary pads are mostly petroleum by-product which can cause skin reactions, rashes, allergies, reproductive issues and toxic shock syndrome.THE ACTION TO TAKEThe use of fully biodegradable and chemical free sanitary pads is a great action to take to protect your body and the environment.These sanitary pads like NORLAND sanitary napkins are 100% organic with no chemicals and made from fiber and organic cotton plus an anion strip that are healthy and safe.On May 28 every year, it is set aside to celebrate and create awareness about menstrual health.It is on this note that I've put this down to educate our ladies and men that love their ladies on the need to take proper action and invest in durable and organic pads that are healthy and safe.Norland truly settles!#MAY282021 #menstrualhygieneday Didy Ekanem writes from Nsit Ibom.