Skip to main content

Key terms of periods

By

Menstruation or menses is the natural bodily process of releasing blood and associated  matter from the uterus through the vagina as part of the menstrual cycle. 

Menarche is the onset of menstruation, the time when a girl has her first menstrual

period.

Menstrual hygiene management (MHM) refers to management of hygiene associated with the menstrual process. WHO and UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for  drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene has used the following definition of MHM: ‘Women and adolescent girls are using a clean menstrual management material to absorb or collect  menstrual blood, that can be changed in privacy as often as necessary for the duration of  a menstrual period, using soap and water for washing the body as required, and having  access to safe and convenient facilities to dispose of used menstrual management  materials. They understand the basic facts linked to the menstrual cycle and how to  manage it with dignity and without discomfort or fear1. 

Menstrual health and hygiene (MHH) encompasses both MHM and the broader systemic factors that link menstruation with health, well-being, gender equality, education,  equity, empowerment, and rights. These systematic factors have been summarised by  UNESCO as accurate and timely knowledge, available, safe, and affordable materials,  informed and comfortable professionals, referral and access to health services, sanitation  and washing facilities, positive social norms, safe and hygienic disposal and advocacy and policy. 

A menstruator is a person who menstruates and therefore has menstrual health and hygiene needs – including girls, women, transgender and non-binary persons. Throughout  this guidance, the term ‘girls and women’ is used as a shorthand term to increase readability and refers to all menstruators regardless of gender identity. 

Menstrual hygiene materials are the products used to catch menstrual flow, such as pads, cloths, tampons or cups. 

Menstrual supplies are other supportive items needed for MHH, such as body and laundry soap, underwear and pain relief items.  

Menstrual facilities are those facilities most associated with a safe and dignified menstruation, such as toilets and water infrastructure. 

Gender refers to the roles, behaviours, activities, and attributes that a given society at agiven time considers appropriate for men and women. These attributes, opportunities andrelationships are socially constructed and are learned through socialisation processes. Theyare context- and time-specific, and are changeable. Gender determines what is expected,allowed and valued in a woman or a man in a given context. In most societies, there are differences and inequalities between women and men in responsibilities assigned, activities undertaken, access to and control over resources, as well as decision-making  opportunities. Gender is part of the broader socio-cultural context, as are other important  criteria for socio-cultural analysis such as class, race, poverty level, ethnic group, sexual  orientation, age, etc2.  

Transgender (sometimes shortened to ‘trans’) is an umbrella term used to describe a wide range of identities whose appearance and characteristics are perceived as gender atypical —including transsexual people and people who identify as third gender.  Transgender women identify as women but were classified as males when they were  born, transgender men identify as men but were classified female when they were born,  while other trans people do not identify with the gender-binary at all3. 

Sex (biological sex) is defined as the physical and biological characteristics that distinguish males and females, such as reproductive organs, chromosomes and hormones4.

 Intersex people are born with physical or biological sex characteristics, such as sexual  

anatomy, reproductive organs, hormonal patterns and/or chromosomal patterns, which do not fit the typical sex definitions of male or female. These characteristics may be apparent  at birth or emerge later in life, often at puberty. Intersex people can have any sexual orientation and gender identity. 






Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Problems during periods

By
  A girl’s period can add a new challenge to the already-difficult teenage years. There are many common problems or aggravations that can occur with periods, which typically occur monthly and last six or seven days. Some of these issues can be typical, but others may need to be evaluated by a healthcare professional. Irregular Periods Irregular periods can be worrisome and inconvenient, but it is common to have irregular bleeding in the first two years following the start of menstruation; for example, a young woman may have two periods in one month or could sometimes go four months or more without getting another period. The menstrual cycle is complex: hormones are made in the brain and must talk to the ovaries, which then talk to the uterus. As the body adjusts to all of these processes working together, periods should become more regular. It is important to see a doctor if periods are extremely irregular or occur more than three months apart. Heavy Periods Some periods are heavie...
Post a Comment
Read more

Guidelines

By
There are a number of ways that can provide short term relief from menstrual pain and can be easily done at home such as: Rest and relax. Taking a nap in a comfortable position or relaxing in the bathtub with soothing essential oils can help ease the pain. Application of heat is known to significantly reduce the pain. You can either use a heated pain relief pad or simply turn toward a trusty hot water bag. Gently massaging your abdomen and lower back can soothe the pain too. Try to do some gentle exercises that help in improving the flow of blood to the pelvic area. Try relaxation techniques such as guided meditations and deep breathing. If you are pressed for time and cannot rest, over the counter pain medication should do the trick. These dos and don’ts of periods can make your periods much more comfortable. But when asked about how to reduce menstrual pain in the long run, experts advise incorporating lifestyle changes such as: Cutting down your caffeine intake. Reduction in smoking...
Post a Comment
Read more

All About Periods

By
 When Do Most Girls Get Their Period? Most girls get their first period when they're around 12. But getting it any time between age 10 and 15 is OK. Every girl's body has its own schedule. There isn't one right age for a girl to get her period. But there are some clues that it will start soon: *Most of the time, a girl gets her period about 2 years after her breasts start to develop. *Another sign is vaginal discharge fluid (sort of like mucus) that a girl might see or feel on her underwear. This discharge usually begins about 6 months to a year before a girl gets her first period. What Causes a Period? A period happens because of changes in hormonesin the body. Hormones are chemical messengers. The ovaries release the female hormones estrogenand progesterone. These hormones cause the lining of the uterus (or womb) to build up. The built-up lining is ready for a fertilized egg to attach to and start developing. If there is no fertilized egg, the lining brea...
Post a Comment
Read more