Menstrual hygiene Awareness

A complete Menstrual Hygiene guide for the clinicians and health care practitioners to create awareness among young girls.Main motive is to educate girls and prevent absence to the schools,work places,daily activities, manage menstrual symptoms,precautions to dispose sanitary napkins, prevent ill effects on humans as well the environment .

1. Awareness Programme on
Menstrual Hygiene
Dr.Nikhil Kumar Vanjari
Doctor of Pharmacy,
Diabetes Educator,
Clinical Assistant Professor,
Vaageswari College of Pharmacy
Karimnagar.

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3. Need of the Session?
1.Menstruationandmenstrualpracticesstillfacemanysocial,cultural,andreligiousrestrictionswhichareabig
barrierinthepathofmenstrualhygienemanagement.
2.Inmanypartsofthecountryespeciallyinruralareasgirlsarenotpreparedandawareaboutmenstruationsothey
facemanydifficultiesandchallengesathome,schools,andworkplaces.
3.Girlsandwomenhaveverylessornoknowledgeaboutreproductivetractinfectionscausedduetoignorance
ofpersonalhygieneduringmenstruationtime.
4.Inruralareas,womendonothaveaccesstosanitaryproductsortheyknowverylittleaboutthetypesand
methodofusingthemorareunabletoaffordsuchproductsduetohighcost.So,theymostlyrelyonreusable
clothpadswhichtheywashanduseagain.
5.So,thereshouldbeaneedtoeducateandmakethemawareabouttheenvironmentalpollutionandhealth
hazardsassociatedwiththem.
6.Implementationofmoderntechniqueslikeincinerationcanhelptoreducethewaste.
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4. What is Menstrual Cycle?
1.The menstrual cycle is the regular natural change that occurs in the female reproductive system
(specifically the uterus and ovaries) that makes pregnancypossible.
2.The cycle is required for the production of oocytes, and for the preparation of the uterus for
pregnancy.
3.The menstrual cycle occurs due to the rise and fall of hormones.This cycle results in the thickening of
the lining of the uterus, and the growth of an egg, (which is required for pregnancy).
4.The egg is released from an ovary around day fourteen in the cycle; the thickened lining of the
uterus provides nutrients to an embryo after implantation.Ifpregnancy does not occur, the lining is
releasedin what is known as menstruation.
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5. What are the Hormones involved and their functions?
1.Estrogen-Discharge of blood –menstruation/period
2.Luteinizing Hormone-release of ovum-female egg
3.Progesterone-implantation of embryo for pregnancy
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6. What is the Onset and duration of Menstrual Cycle?
1.The first period usually begins between 12 and 15 years of age, a point in time
known as menarche. They may occasionally start as early as eight, and this
onset may still be normal.
2.The typical length of time between the first day of one period and the first day of
the next is 21 to 45 days in young women and 21 to 35 days in adults (an
average of 28 days).
3.Menstruation stops occurring after menopausewhich usually occurs between
45 and 55 years of age.
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7. What is Ovary and Uterus?
1.Ovary-The ovary is needed in reproduction since it is responsible for producing
the female reproductive cells or ova.
2.Uterus -The ovaries produce the eggs that travel through the fallopian tubes.
Once the egg has left the ovary it can be fertilized and the embryo grows to
baby in the lining of the uterus. 7

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15. What are the Common Symptoms during period?
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17. How to deal with the symptoms?
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20. General length of the Menstrual cycle based on age
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21. How to deal with menstrual flow ?
Theoptionsavailableare:
1.Disposablesanitarypads:theseareoftentimesmadeofcotton/foam(bleached)orunbleached
cottonwithabsorbentcore.Thesearemeantforsingleuseonly.
2.Reusableclothpads:madeofcloththatcanbewashed,driedandreused.
Whileselectinganyoftheabove,youalsohavetoensurethatyourpreferreddevicepreventstheflow
fromspoilingyourclothes.
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22. How to use the sanitary pads?
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23. ??????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
●There is no need to feel overwhelmed or feel dirty during these days, because periods are a
natural process of the body, just like yawning, sneezing, hunger or thirst, etc.
●The only thing you need to do is take special care of your body’s hygiene and avoid
unwanted infections during this time.
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24. What all can happen if hygiene is not maintained?
Duringtheperiods,theareaaroundthegenitalsismoist,whether
youuseadisposablepadorareusablepad,thereisapossibilityof
severaltypesofinfectionsifthearearemainsdampfortoolong.
Thisinfectioncancauseitchingandirritationinthevagina.Dueto
thisdampness,rashesinthealongthelineofinnerwearareaare
alsocommon.
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25. Why to Maintain hygiene during menstrual cycle?
1.Menstrualhygieneissignificantinensuringthatyoureverydaylife
doesnotgetinterruptedbymenstruation-school/work/dailyactivities.
2.PreventionofpossibleUrinarytractInfections,ifleftuntreated
couldcausekidneyinfection.
3.Maintainingproperhygienealsoensuresthatyouneverruninto
potentialsituationsofembarrassmentandhencemakesyoufeel
confidentaboutyourselfandyourbody.
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26. How to Maintain hygiene during menstrual cycle?
Staying healthy and active:
1.Leadingahealthyandstressfreelifecankeepyourmenstrualcycleregularandperiodical.
2.Onthecontrary,anunhealthylifestylecandisruptyourmenstrualcycleanditbecomesdifficult
topredictyournextperiod.
3.Abalanceddietincludingappropriateamountsofessentialnutrientsalsoplaysanimportantrolein
regularizingyourperiodsandhelpmaintainahealthyphysicalandmentalwellbeing.
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27. How to Maintain hygiene during menstrual cycle?
Prepare yourself for the periods:
1.Youcanrecordyourperioddatesinacalendar.Tohavethemclosertoyou,thoseusing
computersorsmartphonescandownloadperiodtrackingapplicationsandrecordtheirdates.
2.Youmustcarryapadwithyounearingyourperioddatessoyouarenotcaughtoff-guard
whenyourperiodstartsuddenly.
3.WearingaInnerwareswithlinerafewdaysbeforeyourperiodsstartwillnotonlyhelpin
absorbingthedischargebeforemenstruationbutwillalsoabsorbtheinitialflowifthecycle
startssuddenly.Linerscancomequitehandywhenyouaretravelling.Beingsliminsize,they
easilyfitinthepurse.
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28. How to Maintain hygiene during menstrual cycle?
General Hygiene:
1.Taking bathat least once a day
2.Washing the genital area with a mild intimate wash at least once a day and washing it every time
you use toilet
3.Using clean undergarments and changing them regularly
4.Preferably a cotton undergarment should be worn as cotton allows the skin to breath and doesn’t
restrict the air flow
5.Changing the pads regularly
If not taken care, bad hygiene can lead to various infections
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29. 5 Things Everyone Should Know About Menstrual Hygiene
1.Choose The Right Sanitation Method-
●With so many different hygiene options available to choose from, we’re absolutely spoiled for choice
in the market. It is recommended that you stick to a single brand and a single method for some
time to see if it suits your need.
2.Remember To Change Every 4 To 6 Hours-
●In order to maintain vaginal hygiene it is recommended that you change them every 4-6 hours.
●The blood released during periods is the best place for certain microbes and bacteria to flourish and
multiply, increasing chances of vaginal infections or infection in the urinary tract.
●Women with heavy bleeding should change it more frequently.
●it’s important that you change it in order to avoid TSS (toxic shock syndrome).
●TSS (a condition in which a tampon is left inserted in the body for long, allowing bacteria to
break into the body causing severe infection).
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30. 5 Things Everyone Should Know About Menstrual Hygiene
3.Trust Water
●The best free resource that you can trust always is water. Try to keep yourself as clean as
possible, especially during your periods.
●Washing with soaps would kill the good bacteria present in the vagina and would disharmonize
the pH balance too. In order to stay safe and clean, trust water and nothing else.
●Washing properly with a right technique is equally important. Wash from up (vagina) to down (anus)
and do not do the inverse else the bacteria from the anus might cling to your vagina and wouldn’t get
washed-off increasing chances of infection.
4.Disinfect Your Inner wear In Case Of A Stain
●It’s normal to get a stain during your periods. It doesn’t happen all the time but when it happens
make sure you change your innerwear immediately and disinfect it before wearing it again. It is not
advisable to continue walking around when your underwear is stained with your period blood. Keep
extra pairs with you when you are at work.
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31. 5 Things Everyone Should Know About Menstrual Hygiene
5.Disposing Off Your Pads Properly
●The way it’s essential for you to be careful about your hygiene while you’re on your periods, it’s
equally important to dispose -off the used pads as they may cause infection and create foul
smell. Do not flush the pads down the sewer as it can clog the toilets. Wrap the used pads safely in
a piece of paper before throwing it into the bin.
●Do not forget to wash your hands once you have disposed off the pad
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34. What does a Sanitary napkin contain?
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35. India’s Sanitary Pad Problem
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36. How much waste of sanitary pads is being generated?
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37. What are the Menstrual Waste Disposal Techniques Used by Women?
1.Appropriate disposal of used menstrual material is still lacking in many countries of the
worldToilet facilities in India lack bins for the disposalof sanitary pads and hand washing
facilities for menstruating women to handle menstrual hygiene.
2.In rural areas, mostly women use reusable and non-commercial sanitary materials like reusable
pads or cloths. Thus, they generate lesser amount of menstrual waste as compared to women in
urban areas who rely on commercial disposable pads.
3.In urban areas, where modern disposable menstrual products are used they dispose of them by
flushing in toilets and throwing in dustbinsor through solid waste management.
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38. What are the Menstrual Waste Disposal Techniques Used by Women?
4.Inschools,duetolackofsanitaryfacilities,girlsthrowtheirpadsintoilets.
5.Insomecases,girlsthrewawaytheirusedmenstrualclotheswithoutwashingthem.
6.Alsomanywerereportedbeingabsentfromwork/school/collegeduringtheirperiodduetolackof
disposalsystem,brokenlock/doorsoftoilets,lackofwatertap,bucket,andpoorwatersupply.
7.Athome,theydisposethewastebywrappingandthrowinginthedustbinalongwithotherdomestic
waste.
8.Inpublicplaces,priortohavingknowledgeabouttheconsequencesofflushingthepads,theyflush
theminthetoiletsorwrapandthrowtheminthedustbins.
9.Wheredustbinsarenotplacedtheyleavethesoiledpadswrappedorunwrappedinthetoilet
corners.Thismakesthetoiletsdirty,breedingplaceforfliesandmosquitoes,andalsounhygienic
forothertoiletusersandcleaners.
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39. What are the Consequences of Menstrual Waste Disposal?
●Materials clog the sewer pipelines
●Disturb the soil microflora and decomposition takes time
●Water bodies get contaminated.
●Materials soaked with blood are breeding places for germs and pathogenic microbes .
●Sanitary products soaked with blood of an infected women/girl may contain hepatitis and HIV
viruses which retain their infectivity in soil and live up to six months in soil.
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40. What are theStrategies for the Management of Menstrual Waste?
●The toilets must be designed and built to be girl/women friendly .
In Kerala, some schools have installed sanitary napkin vending machines in toilets which are
semiautomatic and operate by inserting a coin in it. It contains 30–50 sanitary napkins to meet the
emergency needs of the girls/women in schools.
●There should be a separate collection systemfor the menstrual wastes without affecting the
privacy and dignity of women.
●Dustbins should be covered by lid and emptied from time to time to keep the toilets clean from
flies, mosquitoes, and bad odour.
●there must be water availability, toilet paper, dustbin, and a sink to wash menstrual products.
●proper safety toolsshould be provided to the cleanersso that they are not exposed to pathogenic
organisms and harmful gases.
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42. What are the Better Ways/Ideas of Disposing Menstrual Wastes?
Incinerators
●If incinerators are used according to ecofriendly guidelines they create less pollution. They should be operated at certain
specific temperature around 800°C so that they emit less harmful gasses. They should be installed in schools, institutions,
and slum areas and at community level
Reusable Cloth Pads
●Using these reusable cloth pads is a better option as they have less chemical and plastic content. So they are easily
decomposable as compared to other commercial products.
Biodegradable Products
●Commercial sanitary product manufacturing companies must manufacture products having lesser chemical and plastic
content. Pads made from bamboo fibre, banana fibre, water hyacinth, and sea sponges should be encouraged.
Clay or Cemented Incinerators
●Clay and cement incinerators used in Gujrat villages by “Vatsalya Foundation” are a welcomed step in menstrual
hygiene management.
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46. Sheela Singh with the low-cost incinerator at her terrace.
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47. Sunita Kanojia with her mud incinerator
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48. Role of Men/Boys towards Menstrual Hygiene
Management
●Men can support and influence women and girls in managing menstruation in households,
schools, work, and communitythrough many rolesas husbands, fathers, brothers, students,
teachers, colleagues, leaders, and policymakers.
In India, a man named “ArunachalamMuruganantham” known as “India’s Menstrual Man” develops an
inexpensive and environment-friendly machine which produces semibiodegradablesanitary pads.
●Men can help women and girls by constructing toilets, incinerators, and latrines with chutes at
homes and schools and at community level.
●At household level, they help by providing toilet facilities with privacy, water, and soap and by
giving them money for menstrual products. 48

49. Role of Teachers/Management in Creating Awareness regarding
Menstruation and Menstrual Waste Management
●Inschools,teacherscanmaketheschoolenvironmentgirl/womenfriendlytomanage
menstruationwithdignity.
●Menstruationisasilentissueingirl’slifewhichisfurtheraffectedbyteacher’sattitude,school
environment,andinfrastructure.Becauseofthis.manygirlsremainabsentfromschools
duringthistime.
●.Teachersshouldeducategirlsaboutmenstrualhealthmanagementanditslinktotheir
health.Theyshouldalsomakegirlstudentsawareofhowtodisposeofusedmenstrualproducts
athomeandinschools,providingsafeenvironmentandprivacy
●providedustbinsformenstrualwastedisposal.
●Opendiscussions
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51. AWARENESS ABOUT PERIODS LEADS TO
BETTER REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH
GREATER SELF-ESTEM AND CONFIDENCE
BETTER ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
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52. This Oscar-winning documentary is a must-watch for Indians. Period End of Sentence
●It was a huge win for women everywhere when a documentary about menstruation, shot in a country
like India, scored an Oscar win. Period End of Sentenceshowed the world what many already knew
but was also a revelation for some—there are women who have to give up important things like
education and work for something as normal and natural as their monthly period.
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53. The mission to spread awareness about menstruation has been on everyone's checklist lately, including
Bollywood. It came out with Padman, casting mainstream actors like Akshay Kumar, Radhika Apte and
Sonam Kapoor in a filmbased on real life hero Arunachalam Muruganantham, inventor of a low-cost
sanitary pad-making machines.
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54. “A PERIOD IS A SIGN OF HEALTH AND FERTLITY”
Thank you
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