Menstruation is a part of the normal reproductive life of a woman. Menstrual disorders have a deleterious effect on women’s physical, emotional, and social well-being, but many women remain silent. In silence, many women live with menstrual cycle problems that ruin their daily lives. These are distressing and disruptive disorders that may result in missed periods, heavy bleeding, and other effects.
There are several women menstrual heath NGOs that are spreading awareness and providing education to young girls and continuously trying to make a safe place for women without any fear of embarrassment. Feminine hygiene courses not only give away sanitary products but also educate girls about their bodies making them confident and giving them a sense of taking charge of their own health.
Menstrual Disorders
Menstrual disorders are problems related to a woman’s normal menstrual cycle that are found to be associated with physical or emotional issues that interfere with the regular menstrual cycle, causing pain, unusually heavy or light bleeding, and missed periods. Disregarding a menstrual cycle problem is a destructive approach that could lead to long-term reproductive health issues.
The menstrual cycle may be defined by its length, regularity, frequency, and pattern of menstrual blood loss. Irregularity in the pattern and amount of vaginal bleeding of uterine origin often indicates a sign of pathology or an abnormality in the function of the hypothalamic, pituitary, and ovarian axis.
Normal Menstrual Cycle
Menstruation is an essential natural phenomenon for every female and occurs throughout the reproductive years, starting from adolescence to menopausal age. The average menstrual cycle lasts about five days. It includes the regular shedding of the endometrium every 28 days, in response to female hormones, with an average blood loss per cycle, usually about 60 milliliters.
The regular menstrual cycle repeats once in every 21–35 days with a duration of 2–8 days. Any disturbances in the pattern of menstruation may eventually affect the female’s physical and mental health (psychological health), which affects the quality of life. Various menstrual disorders, such as painful cramps, irregular periods, too heavy or too light flow, or the ones causing severe mood changes, can significantly disrupt an individual’s life.
Types of Menstrual Disorders
There are disorders of cycle length, referring to the time in between bleeding periods. A cycle that is longer than 45 days or shorter than 22 days is irregular, such as:
Oligomenorrhea is infrequent periods with more than 35 days in between blood flows. Polymenorrhea is frequent periods with 21 days or less in between blood flows.
The period portion of the menstrual cycle should look bright red with a watery consistency to brown with a thicker, jelly-like consistency, depending on where in the cycle you are. It should smell like blood or slightly like metal, and the total amount of blood shed throughout the whole period should be around 60ml. Of course, everybody is different, and there are variations to this that don’t immediately mean that something is wrong with your cycle. Menstrual disorders may range from no periods to heavy, painful periods.
Understanding Abnormal Uterine Bleeding
Abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) is the disruption to regular blood flow, such as after sexual intercourse or during menopause. When bleeding occurs between periods, it is also called metrorrhagia, which is specific to problems of the endometrial lining. This irregular bleeding can be painful. Hypomenorrhea is when the blood flow is light and only lasts two days. Menorrhagia is when the blood flow is heavy and lasts longer than seven days. Dysmenorrhea is when cramps or actual menstruation itself are notably painful to the point of disruption of regular activities.
A period that is too smelly or an unusual colour, such as orange, is not normal and should be discussed with your doctor or gynaecologist. Menstrual cycle problems can make women tired, irritable, and emotionally upset.
Symptoms of menstrual disorders
Any change in menstruation may cause women to experience irregular periods and a range of other symptoms. Menstrual disorders can cause a variety of symptoms that deviate from the normal menstrual cycle. These are common signs and symptoms to look out for:
Abnormal Bleeding:
- Heavy Bleeding (Menorrhagia): Periods lasting longer than 7 days.
- Irregular Periods (Oligomenorrhea): Cycles that occur less frequently than every 35 days.
- Frequent Periods (Polymenorrhea): Cycles happening more often than every 21 days.
- Intermenstrual Bleeding (Metrorrhagia): Bleeding outside periods.
- Spotting: Brown discharge or light bleeding before or after your period.
Bleeding occurring after menopause :
- Vaginal bleeding that occurs after you haven’t had a period for a year or more.
Absence of Periods:
- Absence of Period (Amenorrhea) – That means no period for three or more cycles in a row when you’re not pregnant or breastfeeding.
- Never having a period by age 15 is called primary amenorrhea.
Changes in Period Length:
- Short Periods (Hypomenorrhea): Periods that are less than 2 days long.
Pain:
- Dysmenorrhea – Very painful cramps in your lower belly, before or in the early stage of your period.
Pelvic pain :
- A dull pain in the pelvic region can occur throughout your cycle.
Causes of Menstrual Disorders
Understanding the menstrual cycle helps identify irregularities that may occur due to hormonal factors, anatomical factors, lifestyle factors, or the presence of diseases that impede the menstrual flow. Menstrual irregularities may result from pregnancy, hormonal imbalance, infections, diseases, trauma, and some medications.
Hormone Imbalances and Menstruation:
Hormones are chemicals that our bodies naturally produce. Those chemicals are the body messengers for different systems and processes in the body, also the menstrual cycle.
Hormonal imbalance can occur when you have an excess (too much) or deficiency (too little) of one or more hormones. Hormones have exact levels that must be maintained by the body for the various systems of the body to work. Even a minor imbalance can cause significant effects, especially with the menstrual cycle.
Cultural Myths and Social Barriers:
Menstruation is a natural process, yet it is surrounded by social taboos, supernatural beliefs, misconceptions, and malpractice, which are very challenging for girls in developing countries.
Disregarding a menstrual cycle problem is a destructive approach that could lead to long-term reproductive health issues.
Menstruating women are considered ritually unclean in Judaism, dangerous in Christianity, impure and polluted in Hinduism, and polluted in Buddhism. Islam does not view a menstruating woman as having any sort of “contagious uncleanness”.
Women’s menstrual health NGOs aim to provide knowledge and resources to manage their menstrual cycle with dignity.
There are several social issues of menstruation and abnormal bleeding.
1. Effect on quality of life: Excessive blood loss may interfere with the physical, emotional, social, and material quality of life of women.
2. Social isolation: Women with heavy uterine bleeding might feel socially isolated due to the fear of experiencing unexpected heavy bleeding in a public setting.
3. Loss in work productivity: Women who needed surgical treatment took more leave than women with medical conditions.
4. Intimate relationship: It can affect intimate relationships due to physical discomfort, blood stains during coitus, unpredictable bleeding, and unclean vaginal canal, and also may lead to decreased sexual activities and communication challenges and strain on partnerships.
Effect of diet, exercise, and other contributing factors on menstruation:
The food we consume has a complementary relationship with the pattern of the menstrual cycle, and so does the involvement of exercise. It was found that a lack of exercise before and during menstruation has caused increased cramps and mood instability in girls. As well as skipping breakfast and consuming junk food, it was found to elevate pain, eventually affecting daily activities.
The Role of NGOs in Menstrual Health Awareness:
NGO’s are playing a crucial role in tackling menstrual health challenges, bringing together education and awareness on menstruation, providing hygiene products, and promoting the right to health, dignity, and gender equality. NGOs working on women’s health issues do awareness drives when it comes to menstrual cycle problems. Women’s menstrual health NGO focuses on providing education, support, and access to sanitary products in underserved communities. There is no doubt that any effective feminine hygiene program must also deal with traditional taboos and myths by starting a dialogue on menstruation.
Spreading awareness and providing hygiene products to girls, especially in rural areas. Prazna Foundation, an NGO in Jaipur, has launched a project called “Project Kishori “.
Project Kishori is paving the way to an enlightened and equitable society. “So, this is not just a project for menstrual health; this is a project for women’s empowerment, dignity, and equality for all.”
Treatments of menstrual disorders
Self-treatment :
- To get rid of pain, one can take medicine like ibuprofen, paracetamol, or mefenamic acid.
Seeking medical care :
Make an appointment to see a doctor if you:
- Bleed severely
- Feel weak
- Have chest pain
- Bleed for seven days or more
- Soak through one or more tampons or pads every hour
- Can’t do daily activities because of heavy bleeding or pain
- Pass blood clots larger than a pound coin
- Bleed after menopause
Conclusion
The first step towards finding a solution that works for you is to be aware of your type. What causes it? What are its symptoms? Sadly, especially in rural communities, many people still do not have knowledge and awareness on this issue, so they do not seek any treatment. In silence, many women live with menstrual cycle problems which ruin their daily life.
Disregarding a menstrual cycle problem is a destructive approach that could lead to long-term reproductive health issues. Most NGOs working on women’s health issues do awareness drives when it comes to menstrual cycle problem. Women menstrual health NGOs take up the charge of spreading awareness and providing education to young girls
Project Kishori (a project launched by an NGO, Prazna foundation, located in Jaipur)is focused on menstrual health that breaks the menstruation taboo and provides women menstrual health knowledge. The goal is to change the minds of people, create more awareness, and provide every girl the information and tools she needs to secure a better future.
Also Read: Understanding the Menstrual Cycle: Phases, Hormones, and Health Impacts
