Only awareness on menstruation can help shun the stigma, says Dr. Naik

On World Menstrual Hygiene Day, Dr. Soniya Naik from Max Hospital, Delhi stresses that menstruation blood is not impure, the blood flow is a result of the uterus shedding its lining every month.

New Delhi:Millions of girls around the world have no idea what menstruation is, let alone how to manage it safely and hygienically when they get their first period.

Negative social norms and practices result in girls being stigmatized and excluded, which undermines their social status and confidence in already turbulent times.

Shunning the superstition associated with this natural phenomena, Dr. Soniya Naik, a practicing doctor in Delhi's Max Hospital said that the blood flowing out of the body during menstruation is not impure blood, it's just a process wherein the uterus sheds its lining every month resulting in the bleeding.

Speaking to ETV Bharat on World Menstrual Hygiene Day said, "It is important to understand the cycle of menstruation in order to counter the stigma associated with it. The general perception is such that the menstrual blood gets accumulated over time and that it's all impure blood. But, the blood comes out as a result of the shedding of uterus's lining."

The stigma associated with menstruation often leads to unsafe and unsanitary menstrual hygiene practices, ranging from the use of cloth instead of a sanitary napkin, or prolonged use of a single napkin, among other practices.

Shedding light on menstrual hygiene, Dr. Naik said, "cloth can be used in place of a sanitary napkin, so long as it is sanitised, washed regularly and changed after every five to six hours in a day."

"Even a sanitary napkin should be changed every few hours, as prolonged use of a single pad can cause rashes and fungal infection, " added Dr. Naik.

She also stressed on the use of cotton sanitary pads instead of synthetic ones.