Good Menstrual health and hygiene practices can prevent infections, reduce odors, and make your period more comfortable.1

You can choose from a variety of menstrual products, including sanitary pads, tampons, menstrual cups, menstrual discs, and period pants, to absorb or collect blood during your period.1

Here are a few essential menstrual hygiene tips which should be followed for a healthy period:

• It is important to remember to wash your hands before using a menstruation product, as well as before and after using the restroom.1
• Properly dispose of old disposable menstruation products by first wrapping them in toilet paper or a tissue, or any other material then throwing them away in a dustbin.1 
• It is important that menstruation products should not be flushed down the toilet.1
• It is important to change sanitary pads every few hours, regardless of how little the flow is. If your period is heavy, you should change them more frequently.1
• Tampons should be changed anywhere between every 4 and 8 hours. It is not recommended to wear a single tampon for more than 8 hours at a time without changing it.1
• Menstrual cups should be cleaned after each usage daily. After your periods are over, you should sanitize your menstrual cups by first giving them a thorough washing and then placing them in a pot of boiling water for one to two minutes.1
• Put on loose, breathable garments (such as pants made of cotton). Tight materials may trap sweat and body heat, making them ideal for the growth of bacteria.1
• Maintain a clean genital area. Every day, wash the exterior of your vagina and bottom. When using the washroom, wipe from the front of your body to the rear, not the other way around. Wash your genital with plain water only.1

Lack of privacy is an important problem, women do not have access to basic facilities such as water, bathroom and privacy, and the standard of hygiene one can maintain is severely compromised. There is a need to improve the housing 

conditions with respect to basic facilities. Universalized use of sanitary pads can be advocated for every girl only by making them available at affordable prices.2

Women can mitigate period pain if they practice good menstrual hygiene and adopt more positive attitudes. They need to be taught the facts of menstruation, its physiological implications, the significance of menstruation, and, most importantly, the importance of proper hygienic practices with a variety of disposable sanitary menstrual absorbents before any changes in menstrual practices can be implemented.2

References:

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Menstrual hygiene. [Internet] May 26 2023 [cited 2023 Jun 26]. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/hygiene/personal-hygiene/menstrual.html.
2. Dasgupta A, Sarkar M. Menstrual hygiene: how hygienic is the adolescent girl? Indian J Community Med. 2008;33(2):77-80.

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