We may have access to necessary facilities and resources for better menstrual cycle, yet we still struggle through our period. For instance, we may experience leaks, run out of pads, or face emergency situations without access to sanitary products.
But can you imagine how women from previous generations had to cope with their periods without basic necessities like pads and toilets? What did they use when they had their periods? How did they change pads without embarrassment or without others noticing? Moreover, what prejudices and myths did they have to contend with?
I believe their struggles must have been much harder than what we experience today. When I first had my period, I was making a fuss about it and complaining about how much I had to struggle. But my mother shared her first-time period experience with me. She told me that during her time, she had to use a cloth napkin that would leak every now and then. She had to miss school, and when she had to change, she would go to the forest or behind thick bushes to do so, even having to hide her period stain.
She explained that she would wake up early in the morning when no one could see her and go to the river to wash the stain. She couldn’t show her stain, as most people would consider her characterless or immodest. She also told me about her friend who tragically lost her life due to heavy bleeding and infection caused by an undiagnosed disease and the unhygienic use of unsterilized cloth napkins. When asked how our mothers managed, I am sure they would probably share their own experiences and stories of how women handled periods professionally despite the lack of resources.
How did women deal with period in the past in India?
If we reflect on the early 1980s, pads were available but only affordable for a specific socioeconomic class. What about the women who couldn’t afford them? Some resorted to using cloth rags pinned to their underwear to prevent leaks or even turned to using dry leaves or paper. In certain cultures, women were isolated during their periods to shield them from embarrassment, which not only prevented them from using any products but also kept them from attending school or social gatherings.
Effects of poor Menstrual hygiene
Even after women discovered that cotton could be used to prevent period leaks, many homes and schools lacked toilets and did not allow women to take baths during their period. This resulted in infrequent changes of wet cloth rags and an increased risk of disease. Due to lack of basic amenities, women became infected with bacterial and viral infections, such as hepatitis B and thrush. These practices contributed to the development of cervical cancer, which went undiagnosed and was perceived as regular health issue.
What were the diseases caused by poor Menstrual hygiene?
Women of those days experienced rashes, itchiness, yeast infections, urinary tract infections, which could lead to kidney problems and cysts around intimate areas. Furthermore, Chlamydia infected many women, resulting in fatal ectopic pregnancies. Unhygienic menstrual practices during that time contributed to reproductive complications in many women, which is why there was high maternal mortality rate in that generation.
Conclusion
Now, we understand how crucial access to these basic necessities, including hygienic period products and toilets, is for women to lead healthy lives and pursue their goals. These facilities protect women’s health and prevent diseases.
