May 28 is the International Menstrual Hygiene Day. An important date to normalize our period, to dispel myths related to the rule and learn to know our body better.

Half of the population has or will have a period and that is why it is important to remember that a natural process is how menstruation becomes another factor of gender inequality for many girls and women. It is treated as a taboo subject and feeds on a culture of shame that leads to expulsion, abandonment and discrimination.

For many girls, having their first period comes hand in hand with mixed emotions. Fear, doubts, uncertainty about the future, feelings of shame and silence are some of the sensations that appear before the first menstruation, and the lack of information about menstrual health is part of this endless cycle. 

 

¿What is menstrual health?

Menstrual health is to achieve that emotional, physical, psychological and social well-being to be able to live it in a full, friendly way and from the respect of the female body and has pillars that we consider fundamental, especially so that we can put on the table the reflection of this important topic, so we describe them below.

Physiological aspects

Like any hormonal change process, it affects our entire body and its sensations, even the levels of concentration, mood and cognitive tasks can vary according to what phase of the menstrual cycle we are going through.

Knowing your physiological cycle will help you understand and take advantage of the changes in your body, which are not only present for reproduction.

 

Hygiene aspects

From before beginning to menstruate, women anticipate the arrival of the period from anticipating, planning, anticipating and controlling the issue of hygiene. In advance, women must learn to choose products that provide good collection or absorbency without producing chafing, prevent menstrual flow from staining clothes, that are comfortable, discreet so that people do not know that you are menstruating and that allow any type of activity.

One way of experiencing menstruation from dignity, self-knowledge and acceptance has been the evolution of products for the management of menstrual flow. In this sense, the biggest leap today has been made by flow collector products such as the menstrual cup, which allow women to explore their body, get to know it, admire how it works and rediscover that experience from respect for the body. and not since the hygiene crisis..

 Psychological aspects

Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) is perceived, received and expected differently by each woman. Unpleasant symptoms can range from colic, muscle pain, breast tenderness, swelling of the limbs to constipation.

However, there are also pleasant changes such as increased sexual desire, greater erotic sensitivity, being affectionate or affectionate, tendency to order, enthusiasm, feelings of well-being, bursts of energy or activity, tendency to finish things, more attractive breasts, ideas more creative, among others.

The way you wait for your period has to do with your personal experience, but also in what aspects you focus your attention.

 

Social aspects

According to studies carried out more than 10 years ago by Marván and Cortés-Iniesta (2008), although advertising affects the ways of looking at menstruation and to which adolescents are subjected, it plays an important role in training of their attitudes. The mother has been shown to be the main source of information before a girl has her period. The vast majority of women claim to have talked with their mothers before their first menstruation, 28% mentioned that they spoke with a friend, 22% with a teacher, 14% with a sister, 10% with another woman in the family, and only 2% mentioned the father.

If the people you talk to in the first place have negative attitudes towards menstruation, even when they have solid scientific information about it, they can pass it on to girls, which creates and promotes an environment of secrecy, taboo, fear and even , disgust.

 

Today, although we have evolved there is still a certain secrecy about menstruation that even when we dare to talk about it we use phrases such as that time of the month or I feel bad, I am in my days. " It does no good It is important to speak openly about a process that is biological to break stereotypes and to prevent it from becoming a curse or punishment that women have to endure.eres.

At Cuttiecup we believe it is paramount that we act together and together to combat menstrual poverty. Once again, education is our best weapon. Through education and access to quality information we can eliminate stereotypes and build a more equitable society with equal opportunity for everyone.

 

References:

Brumberg, J. (1997). The Body Project, New York, Random House.

Logue, C. & Moos, R. (1988). Positive Perimenstrual Changes: toward new perspective on the menstrual cycle. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 32, 31-40.

Marván, M. and Cortés-Iniesta (2008). Menstruation, what it is and what it is not. Mexico: Editorial Pax.

https://www.saveagirlsaveageneration.org/dia-internacional-de-la-higiene-menstrual/

https://www.dkt.com.mx/Blog/28-de-mayo-dia-internacional-de-la-higiene-menstrual/

https://www.unicef.org/colombia/comunicados-prensa/dia-internacional-de-las-ninas-higiene-menstrual