advertisement
That time of the month, being down, the red brigade, chumming, cramps, stomach ache…so many euphemisms for ONE single word – menstruation. There, I said it, for all of you, MENSTRUATION. One more time – menstruation.
Take away the societal stigma attached to it, (think the most recent Sabarimala-Smriti Irani debacle) and it’s a very simple word. But what’s the biology of it? Well, while it may have nothing to do with moral ideas of ‘purity’ and desecration, the truth of it all is not that simple. In fact, the female reproductive system needs to be given its due credit for carrying out this complex biological process, month after month, and making it look like a breeze.
So, are you ready, boys and girls? Here goes.
Every month the ovaries of a female body that has reached puberty or sexual maturity prepares for pregnancy. In medical terms, this means the body preparing itself for the fertilisation of an egg in the uterus. By roughly the 25th day, if there is no fertilisaiton, the egg begins to dissolve. Following this, the shedding of the uteral lining becomes the monthly discharge of the female body. This discharge contains blood and tissue that finds an outlet through the cervix and the vagina.
Dr Deepa Dewan, gynaecologist at Max Hospital, Delhi NCR, says that “in lay man’s terms, menstruation is a very normal, biological process that starts in the age group of 11-14 years and ends around 45-55 years.”
Here are some common facts about menstruation:
When a woman is born, their ovaries contain all the egg cells, embedded in follicles, they will have in their lifetime. Once puberty is reached, the follicle, with the help of hormones, achieves maturity and releases an egg cell, also called ovum. The release of ovum means that the female body is ready for pregnancy - plain biology, not an index of morality.
By way of one of the two fallopian tubes, the ovum travels to the uterus and this whole process of the egg cell leaving the ovary is called ovulation.
The bleeding that a woman experiences during her monthly cycle, as mentioned previously, is a result of the rupturing of the blood vessels of the mucous membranes that form the internal lining of the uterus. The membrane prepares itself in anticipation of an egg being fertilised and planting itself in the uterus for further development. In case of pregnancy, the membrane supplies nutrients to the embryo. In case there is no fertilisation or pregnancy, the egg dies and is rejected as waste from the body along with the membrane.
Dr Shelly Arora, Consultant at Fortis Hospital, New Delhi, comments on this and says:
Toxic Shock Syndrome is a severe illness and is linked to infections. It is caused by overuse of the same tampons or sanitary pads over a long period of time.
(Source: MedicineNet.org)
Period blood might not be morally unchaste, but yes, it can, in some extreme cases lead to fatal medical complications.
While TSS might be a real problem to look out for, Dr Dewan busts some very prevalent myths associated with it.
Dr Arora agrees and adds:
Another myth associated with menstruation is that of exercise. Dr Dewan says that people often approach her asking if they should allow their daughter to go out and play or participate in her routine practice.
Dr Arora also says that exercise is, in fact, beneficial since it can improve mood swings during periods.
Now, there are several menstrual products out there and you can find out more about them here. A broad look at them includes:
(With inputs from National Library of Medicine, USA and MedicineNet.com)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)
Published: 24 Oct 2018,04:20 PM IST