Girls Challenges

My dear Girls, There are a number of challenges you are facing during adolescent period as oppose to boys.

1. Menstrual Period
After puberty as a girl child you will start to experience monthly menstruation periods; a state of reproductive process in your body which takes place in a number of days every month whereby there is blood leak in your private parts.
During menstruation period (MP) you will undergo the following challenges:

• Controlling the visible leakage of menstrual fluid (blood) 

  (a) If you are using disposable sanitary pads, you need assurance of Menstrual Hygiene. Because if you don’t have an access to proper sanitation facilities for regular cleaning and change your sanitary pad you are also exposing yourself to the risk of infectious diseases. Menstrual hygiene need clean water for regular personal cleaning and sanitation. But also, staying longer without changing your disposable pad can cause it to be full enough to start leaking out and cause blood stain in your cloth.(b) If you can’t afford disposable sanitary products, the logical solution would be to do what women did for hundreds of years ago, they used reusable materials like cloth rags to soak up menstrual blood. Or you can use materials like cotton or wool as makeshift sanitary pads. These materials are often not properly sanitized, increase risk of infection, cause physical discomfort and leakage. This will expose you to the risk of public shaming and embarrassment that arises from leaking through your homemade pads and staining your cloth. In such cases, most school girls prefer not to go to school.(c) In the case of blood leakage you may carry a spare cloth with you but it is not easy with school unless you have more than two pairs of school uniform.

  (d) Where it is difficult to change sanitary products, the odor of menstrual blood are like to be higher and be detected by yourself and others, this causes discomfort.

  The above can be a result of why most girls don’t prefer to get out of their homes including going to school during menstrual period.

• Managing Menstrual cramps and DysmenorrheaYou may have painful menstruation cramps and dysmenorrhea, it is one of the most common women’s problems. Most women begin having dysmenorrhea during adolescence, usually within four to five years of the first menstrual period. Painful periods become less common as women age. Therefore do not be scared, it is normal.

  It’s normal to have mild cramps during your period, because of uterine contractions. The uterus is a muscle that tightens and relaxes. Menstruation is natural, but for it to cause extreme pain isn’t. However, because so many of us are never taught very much about what to expect from our periods in the first place, it’s hard to tell when something’s wrong. However, if the discomfort is not relieved with over-the- counter medications (such as paracetamol or ibuprofen) and causes you to miss school or other daily activities, it could mean that there is another reason for your symptoms. Menstrual pain is wrapped up in a natural female phenomenon.

  Here are some key points about menstrual cramps.
  – Menstrual cramps are pains felt in the lower abdomen, before and during menstruation.
  – The pain can range from slight to severe.
  – Emotional stress can increase the chance of experiencing menstrual cramps.
  – Other symptoms include nausea, vomiting, sweating, dizziness, headaches, and diarrhea.
  – Menstrual cramps can be treated with over-the- counter medicine and some home remedies.
  – Secondary dysmenorrhea is when the cramps stem from another condition, such as endometriosis.

  To be continued……………