The Importance of Menstrual Hygiene in Women

What is Menstrual Hygiene?

Intimate hygiene practices during the days of your period is what’s meant by menstrual hygiene. Maintaining proper menstrual hygiene is the key to having better periods.

Why is it Important to Maintain Personal Hygiene During Menstruation?

Lack of access to menstrual hygiene is the fifth biggest killer of women. On any given day, more than 800 million women are menstruating, but more than half of these women do not have access to menstrual hygiene products such as sanitary pads and tampons.

Poor hygiene during the days of your period could result in urinary tract infections, birth complications, infertility, and general discomfort to women. A simple practice of washing your hands after changing menstrual products, if forgotten can lead to the spread of diseases and infections. The ultimate purpose of menstrual hygiene is for women to protect themselves from future inconveniences.

What are the Effects of Poor Menstrual Hygiene?

What is the purpose of menstrual hygiene? Glad you asked. Listed here are some risks of poor menstrual hygiene that can cost you in the future. After reading this, you yourself will be able to decide why menstrual hygiene requires more importance.

1. Rashes –

This one’s certainly not on you. Most rashes are caused by irritating substances in your sanitary pads. These are the result of vulvitis. It happens when the sensitive skin of your vulva comes in contact with something irritating. You might get vulvitis from the rough top sheet of your pad, the chemical-fragrance of the pad, or a pad that doesn’t absorb well and leaves wetness and blood clots on the top.

What can you do to help? Use better pads! Keep exploring till you find the ones that take away YOUR period woes. If you haven’t already, give RIO pads a try. RIO Pads:

• are 3X more absorbent than regular pads
• absorb blood clots just as well as liquid blood
• have a soft-cottony top sheet for a comfortable wearing experience
• distribute liquid evenly and rapidly to keep the pad surface dry
• are anti-bacterial to keep the nasty infections and bacteria away
• are 100% sulphur, paraben and artificial fragrance free
• With RIO, better your periods!

With RIO, better your periods!

2. Urine Infection –

You are more likely to get urinary tract infections or UTIs around the time of your periods. This is due to the low estrogen levels that occur near menstruation. Estrogen acts as an anti-inflammatory agent, while also keeping all the nasties away.

It becomes extremely important to maintain proper hygiene during menstruation. Do some of these things to prevent UTIs during menstruation:

• Wash with water and a gentle soap
• Wash genitalia from front to back
• Do not use unsanitary absorbent products during periods

3. Abnormal White Discharge –

Infections of the vagina or the vulva can often lead to white discharge. When you are not taking proper care of your lady parts, you best believe that they are going to strike right back at you! The symptoms of an infection vary and depend on their cause. Generally, symptoms of an infection could look like:

• irritation in the vulvar region
• itching
• increased, strong-smelling vaginal discharge
• feeling of discomfort while urinating
• inflammation around the labia and perineal areas

4. Chances of Infertility -

Why is menstrual hygiene important? To reduce your chances of infertility. Yes, not maintaining proper menstrual hygiene can even lead to fertility issues.

You can get pelvic inflammatory disease or PID if you do not realise the importance of hygiene during menstruation. It is an infection of the female reproductive organs and is often caused when harmful germs from the vagina reach your uterus, fallopian tubes, or ovaries. Research shows that a significant number of women who are seeking treatment for infertility did not maintain proper hygiene in the past. It is one of the most adverse effects of poor feminine hygiene.

5. Rare Chances of Cervical Cancer –

Cancer of the cervix or the uterine opening is called cervical cancer. It is caused mostly by the Human Papillomavirus or HPV which spreads through skin-to-skin contact from sexual activities including vaginal, anal, or oral sex. Unhygienic menstrual practices can lead to UTIs and RTIs, making you more likely to get cervical cancer.

Importance of Menstrual Hygiene: Takeaway

Thus, the advantages of menstrual hygiene include the prevalence of good health and sanitation both for oneself, their surroundings and their generations to come. As women get busier and life expectancy increases, so does the toll of cancers and other serious conditions. Proper health and hygiene can go a long way in helping prevent such conditions!

So, to conclude: We hope you now know why menstrual hygiene is important and this blog was an eye-opener for every one of us who make periods an excuse to chuck hygiene out the window.