Significance of World Menstrual Hygiene Day & how to Maintain your Menstrual Hygiene
Highlights:
- History & Significance of MHD
- How to stay committed to your menstrual hygiene?
- The theme of MHD 2022
World Menstrual Hygiene Day 2022: Every year, on May 28, Menstrual Hygiene Day is observed across the world. The uterus lining deteriorates and leaves the body through the vagina, as it does with any other biological process. Still, the topic is brushed under the carpet and not even discussed openly.
Lack of knowledge, money and accessibility to Period buddies (sanitary products) leads to poor hygiene among many rural women who use leaves, wood husk, paper, and other such materials.
According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4) 2015-16, India has over 355 million menstruating women. However, only 36% of women were reported using sanitary napkins, locally or commercially produced.
This period cycle cause Ovulation and reproduction in a woman’s body. However, women feel ashamed and dirty discussing it openly.
However, some urban women who have access to such products seem ignorant of menstrual hygiene.
Therefore, let us know some essential pointers about this World Menstrual Hygiene Day.
History & Significance of MHD
In 2014, a German NGO WASH United chose this day to advocate for good menstrual hygiene worldwide. Most women have their periods for 5 days, and May is the 5th month of the year. On an average a woman is on her period after every 28 days. Thus, May 28 was symbolic of this day.
The theme of MHD 2022
The theme of Menstrual Hygiene Day 2022 is “making menstruation a normal fact of life by 2030”. The goal is to build a world where no one is held back because they menstruate.
How to stay committed to your menstrual hygiene?
Periods can be messy! Bloodstains on sheets, clothes, and that period smell are enough to worsen your painful days.
However, does that mean periods are dirty?
No!!
Periods are natural and absolutely normal. It is just need to be managed properly.
So, let us understand how we can stay committed to our menstrual hygiene.
1. Keep spare Underwear
You will feel very hygienic if you keep separate underwear sets for your periods. If your underwear gets stained, wash it immediately to disinfect it, especially before wearing it again. It is really not hygienic to walk around in stained underwear! You can also keep an extra pair if you are going out for some work.
2. Choose reusable period buddies
Instead of a pad or tampons, switch to menstrual cup or a cloth pad. Cleaning them can initially be a task for you. Still, undoubtedly, it is environmentally friendly and better for you in the long run.
Not to forget, you can also get a rash from pads or tampons.
3. Wash and take a bath regularly
When you are on your periods, make sure that you keep your genitals clean. Your vagina has a good balance of sensitive and non-sensitive bacteria. Therefore, it is best to avoid any soaps or vaginal cleaning products. Wash with warm water instead. Taking a bath regularly helps you keep clean.
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4. Change regularly
Pads or tampons should not be worn for more than 4-6 hours. However, some women tend to leave it on for 8-12 hours at times because of the ads that say a pad can last a whole day.
No, nhi, bilkul Nahi
It is highly misleading information. Wearing a pad for such a long time may leave you with bacterial, fungal, or yeast infections.
(Woh Ad wali didi Hai, kuch bhi kar sakti hai)
5. Dispose of used pads correctly
While disposing of pads or tampons, make sure you double wrap and dispose of them. And after that, do not forget to wash your hands to avoid any infection. It is actually better to use a separate dustbin to dispose of them. Please make sure that you are not flushing them while disposing of them.
This can clog your toilet, and the chance of infection will obviously be high.
So, do not focus on lots of dos and don’ts. Bas Itna hi Kar lo because it is a hygiene practice, and every menstruator should stay committed to it.
