In the month of May, the world turns its attention to one of
the key components of woman-ness. The conversations around menstrual hygiene
are here with us as we struggle to make it a normal conversation for all
people, irrespective of their gender, age or background.
The emphasis on reproductive health education for the young
people is so critical if we are to achieve menstrual hygiene for all. The
sustained advocacy to ensure every young girl is kept in school during her
menses is essential. Access to menstrual hygiene products and clean water for
all women is a basic right.
However, as we address the normal challenges of this key
aspect of nature, today let us also take a look at those who have unique
challenges when it comes to menstruation and menstrual hygiene management.
Natalie* is a 21-year old college student with excruciatingly
painful periods. Her gynaecologist says that Natalie likely has endometriosis,
a condition where the tissue that forms the inner lining of her uterus has
migrated to other parts of her pelvis. Since this tissue is responsive to
hormones, it means it bleeds every month in places where it should not, causing
painful inflammation and unbearable pain.
Seline* a 27-year old banker has menses for an average of 12
days every month. Her periods are so heavy that she has undergone repeat blood
transfusions to stay alive. She was diagnosed with Von Willebrand Disease, a
rare condition where her blood clots poorly, making her susceptible to heavy
bleeding from any source. She wishes she could just get rid of her uterus but
her gynaecologist is hesitant and is encouraging her to have children first
before taking such drastic action. Seline dreads the risk of bleeding to death
during delivery.
Monique’s challenges are different. She has no menstrual
problems but her 19-year old daughter, Ruby*, has Down’s Syndrome with limited
cognitive development, posing a significant intellectual disability. She
started her menses at 15 and four years down the line, they are still
struggling with her menstrual hygiene management especially during the day when
she is away at school.
Painful periods (severe dysmenorrhea) are NOT normal by any
long shot. The causes of painful periods are quite varied. For the young
adolescents who are new to menstruation, as the menstrual cycle stabilizes, not
all cycles are accompanied by ovulation. These menses without ovulation can be
painful but are generally short-lived and this settles with time.
However most painful menses are associated with underlying
disorders such as adenomyosis, endometriosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome,
uterine fibroids, polyps, pelvic inflammatory disease or uterine synechiae
(scar tissue within the uterine cavity). All these are gynaecological
conditions that require a proper diagnosis and appropriate management to
relieve the pain.
Menorrhagia (heavy menses) is described as periods that come
regularly but the total amount of blood lost per period is more than 80mls.
Alternatively, periods lasting more than seven days may be considered to be
menorrhagia. Most women will not be able to quantify the amount of blood loss but
are more likely to see the doctor when the blood loss causes uncomfortable
symptoms.
Menorrhagia could result from a myriad of underlying medical
conditions too that require urgent diagnosis and treatment. Conditions of the
reproductive tract such as fibroids, polyps, endometritis (inflammation of the
inner uterine lining), endometrial cancer and adenomyosis can cause the woman
grief. Endocrine disorders (disorders affecting hormone systems in the body)
such as thyroid disease, bleeding disorders such as platelet disfunction or Von
Willebrand disease, polycystic ovarian syndrome, approaching menopause, chronic
liver disease, some contraceptive methods and certain medications will also
lead to heavy periods.
Menorrhagia, left unchecked, will lead to anaemia, which in
the long run, can result in heart failure and even death. Therefore, the cause
must be aggressively sought and treated, to avert unnecessary complications.
Women must be aware that changing the pad hourly is a sign that something is
not right. Bleeding until one passes out is an emergency.
Treatment options for these complications may be surgical
(such as in removal of fibroids or polyps) or may be medical (using
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, hormones or hormone-receptor blockers).
Treatments resulting in heavy bleeding may need to be stopped, adjusted or
replaced.
What of special category ladies like Ruby? Ruby’s periods may
be regular, non-painful and of normal volume. However, her incapacity to change
her own pad is a challenge when she is away from her mother, who is her primary
caregiver.
Despite Ruby’s intellectual disability, her reproductive
health rights must be fully protected and solutions for her challenges must
align with the law. Monique was never prepared for this eventuality, especially
as Ruby’s development was slower than her agemates. This, coupled with Ruby’s
child-like appearance, means that even the doctors taking care of Ruby did not
remember to discuss with Ruby’s mother on alternatives to help make womanhood
for Ruby easier.
It was such a relief for Monique to know that there were safe
options for Ruby. We settled on putting Ruby on a ‘Menstrual Holiday’ through
the use of hormones. Now Ruby can have periods once every three months, which
coincides with her school breaks. Monique only has to worry about her baby’s
menstrual hygiene at her convenience. No more soiled skirts in class, no more
stained P.E. shorts, no more burdening Ruby’s caregivers in school with such
personal matters as Ruby’s menstrual hygiene!
Menstrual holidays are not a new thing in gynaecological
care. While for Ruby, the only concern is the inability to deal with the menses
on her own, for some women, this is the only way to deal with heavy menses or
with painful ones. Keeping the periods away for a given duration helps the
anemic woman build back her blood to normal levels. For the one suffering pain,
no periods means no pain.
In the world of sports, periods are kept on hold during major
competitions. Women have learnt not to compromise their rise to stardom in
swimming, gymnastics or tennis when that tournament is scheduled at the same
time as the period. It would be impossible to win a marathon, running 42km
while bleeding!
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