As women become more prone to fall ill during their monthly period, they should be extra careful to follow the best practices to avoid infection. Lack of hygiene is one of the main causes for a number of such afflictions. Women should have more awareness of what they risk by not taking proper precautions at such times.
This problem is severe in developing countries, where very little attention is given to mensuration related issues. This situation continues in spite of the fact that half the women have actually learnt from experience that it is unsafe to be without proper sanitation during their menstrual cycle.
Sanitary practices are important for all. Keeping clean is keeping safe from germs and infection, which can spoil the skin, our respiratory system and gastro intestinal system and disrupt the normal routine of our life. During this period,there is additional scope for germs to collect and infect our bodies, as we sweat more and have vaginal discharge. When germs accumulate due to these, we experience body odor and our health may also be affected.
Taking Care of Sanitation
Since the discharge takes place in the sex organs, it should be treated with utmost care and personal hygiene should be a prerogative during mensuration. Here are some tips that a modern woman living a hectic and busy life style could use to make her period time clean and hygienic.
- Carry a sanitary napkin in a compartment in your purse to use in case of emergency. Store one in places you frequently visit, like your office, your bathroom, in case you need it suddenly.
- Select a napkin most suited to your body and its needs
- Change the pad at least three times a day to prevent bad odor.
- Taking a bath twice a day and washing the vaginal area would get rid of germs that may have collected around bodily fluids.
- Wash with a mild soap as the skin may get irritated. Wash with warm water.
- Do not use perfume, body sprays or talcum powder directly on the vagina, as this is known to cause cancer. Applying these on the undergarments is equally harmful. It would be better to wash the area with plain water when you change the napkin.
- The residue of discharge may collect on your public hair and cause infection. It would be better to trim it to avoid such an accumulation.
- The sanitary pads are a storehouse of germs and should be wrapped well and thrown into the waste basket.
Consequences of Poor Hygiene
We should be aware of the risk we take when we are careless with hygiene. Poor sanitary practices may lead to
- Gastrointestinal infections
- Skin irritation and infection
- Body odor
- Bacterial disease, also known as the toxic shock syndrome
- Risk of developing pimples and acne
Another important practice that is to be followed is to always clean your private parts from the front to back, as there is a chance, of bacteria that has already accumulated around the anal cavity entering the vagina and infecting it. This can lead to further complications.
Cleaning yourself three or four times a day, changing your napkin that many times and using good quality napkins are simple methods to ensure a hygienic menstrual period.
