Journalism of Courage
This is an archive article published on May 28, 2022
Bad period day at work? Stress not
On World Menstrual Hygiene Day, Dr Sarika Gupta, Senior Consultant, Oncology and Robotic Gynaecology, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi, suggests tips and tricks for managing long hours at office.
4 min readUpdated: May 28, 2022 06:42 PM IST
Use a sanitary pad and tampon for not more than four hours even if the flow is less: You may want to minimise trips to the office loo but that’s not good for either your vagina or urinary tract. (Photo: Pixabay)
Written by Dr Sarika Gupta
Poor menstrual hygiene can have significant negative effects on overall health. And while we campaign for sound menstrual health and management and access for underprivileged sections of our society, even privileged working women often ignore hygiene routines. Long working hours at a static position, considering their digital jobs, are not quite conducive to breaks. But no working woman should compromise with her menstrual hygiene drill and should build it into her working day. Here is a quick rundown:
1.Use a sanitary pad and tampon for not more than four hours even if the flow is less: You may want to minimise trips to the office loo but that’s not good for either your vagina or urinary tract. Menstrual blood is waste blood and is contaminated. So, when it is released from the body, it also carries germs from within our body. If allowed to survive in the warmth of the accumulated blood, they cause infections in the urinary tract, vagina and even rashes in the genital area. Changing your sanitary napkins, tampons and even cups stops bacteria from proliferating. While cups can be changed in eight hours, please make sure you change your tampons and sanitary napkins between four to six hours maximum.
Also, you may want to use extra protection on heavy flow days to avoid messy situations and use a double layer of sanitary napkins. But they increase the chances of trapped bacteria multiplying and causing infection.
2. Ensure a basic cleaning of the intimate area: You must wash your intimate areas regularly when you are menstruating so that no micro-organisms can either breed there or cause infection.
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3. Do not use any type of scented or hygiene products in your intimate area: Menstruation is a normal process and during your cycles, the vagina activates its own flushing mechanism and gets rid of the bad bacteria while keeping the good ones. A disinfecting wash kills all the bacteria. It’s best not to interfere with a natural process.
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4. Attend to rash immediately: Long hours of sitting, often during heavy flow days, may cause eruptions and rashes in your intimate area. Please ensure you remain dry and change frequently. Take regular baths, cleanse frequently and apply an antiseptic ointment before sleeping.
5. Discard your sanitary napkin properly: Wash your hands before and after you change your napkin/tampon/cup to make sure no microbes remain in your hands. Make sure that the above are neatly wrapped up and discarded in a closed bin.
6. Wear light and breathable clothes: This is of utmost importance. Loose clothes let the air circulate and keep you comfortable on stuffy and crampy days. They also ease your movements at work.
7. Keep reserves safely: Most women carry extra sanitary pads/tampons/cups in their bag which they may use or not use. Do not leave them loose in the bag but store them in a sealed pouch so that they stay clinically clean.
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8. Common complications that can arise out of unhealthy menstrual practice: Dermatitis, where the skin gets inflamed and manifests as soreness and blisters. Urinary Tract Infections (UTI) due to bacteria flourishing in the urethra, if not treated on time, can also impact the kidney and cause further damage. When the PH levels of the vagina get altered, that can cause bacterial vaginosis, especially critical for women who are trying to conceive.
Dr Sarika Gupta is a Senior Consultant, Oncology and Robotic Gynaecology, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals
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