We have recently celebrated International Menstruation
Hygiene Day with the theme ‘Education’.
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| Mothers and daughters |
It got me thinking. What did your mother tell you about
periods? Everything – or nothing? Do you remember the day you had your first
period? And, if you’re older than 45, your last when you went through menopause?
Do you remember skipping periods and worrying …. am I pregnant? Do you remember holding your breath when you
were hoping to get pregnant and your period was late?
All my mother told me was how to wear a Partex – gauze
covered cotton-wool pads with a loop at each end that hooked onto a
‘sanitary-belt’ worn around the waist. I never thought of asking Mom the
questions that bothered me: why was the pain so bad sometimes that I had to be fetched
from school? Why did I bleed such a lot with clots the size of my thumb? What
was that sticky stuff that came from my vagina every now and then?
It was only in my fourth year of nursing, when I studied
Midwifery, that periods began to make sense. It was only after having my first
baby that period pain subsided. And it was only after I had been through
menopause and diagnosed with Lupus (short for SLE or systemic lupus
erythematosus) that I realised why my periods had always been so heavy,
especially with clots. Luckily, I had never taken the contraceptive pill
because this is known to aggravate SLE symptoms and increase the risk for
thrombosis.
What I’ve learned over the years is that our bodies work
hard to keep major organs in tip-top condition – especially the womb and other
reproductive organs. To do this, all systems supporting these organs need to be
balanced. This is possible when we live a balanced lifestyle. Eating right, getting
enough rest and exercise with equal amounts of work and play. When we give our
bodies everything that it needs in the right proportions, our hormones (or
endocrine system) – that controls reproduction, metabolism, stress, immunity
and sleep cycles – works like a well-oiled machine. For women, this culminates in having
predictable, hassle-free periods.
What are cycles?
Natural periods come in cycles and not strictly ‘months’. A
cycle is calculated from the first day of one period to the first day of the
next period, which on average is about 28 days. This is different to a lunar
month which is 29.5 days and a calendar month that varies between 28 and 31
days. Unless a woman is taking artificial hormones (contraceptives) to control
her cycles, she shouldn’t expect her period to come on the same date every
month. If she has a shorter cycle, her period will come earlier. If she has a
longer cycle, her period will come later. It’s as simple as that.
Cycles differ from woman to woman, and are often different
for the same woman. Bleeding starts 14 days after
ovulation (the ripening and release of an egg or ova). Ovulation is recognised
when there is a clear, slippery vaginal mucous. Day one of a period marks the
end of one cycle and the beginning of another.
In the past, all focus was on menstruation with ovulation
taking a back seat. But today’s woman (ask those struggling with infertility)
understands the importance of ovulation – the ‘ring master’ of hormones that
balances oestrogen and progesterone and controls the menstrual cycle.
Women today are not shy not to talk about periods to her
friends or partner. Women with daughters should not hesitate to tell them about
the facts-of-life, starting with ovulation. Teaching women more about ovulation
and learning to recognise the signs of this important event will help her to predict
when her next period will begin. When women understand their bodies, they’re in-charge – not their
gynaecologists.
For more information go to www.kotexsouthafrica.co.za
