Columbia Asia Hospital, Gurgaon Brings Together Mothers & Daughters in a Special Session on Adolescent Health & Menstrual Hygiene
* In a talk session with school students and their mothers, doctors discuss gynaecological and adolescent related problems
Gurgaon, May 8, 2016: Columbia Asia Hospital, Gurgaon today organized a special talk session bringing together more than 100 school girls and their mothers to educate them about the importance of maintaining health and hygiene during adolescent years and help them make an informed transition to puberty.
The special exercise was organized to mark Mothers’ Day and celebrate the special bond that daughters share with their mothers.
Teenage years are one of the difficult periods of a person’s life, especially for girls whose bodies undergo major transition during this time. The beginning of menstrual cycle indicates the girl attaining puberty and maturing of her reproductive system. Although a natural phenomena, it brings lot of discomfort and inconvenience, especially in the initial years when young girls find it tough to cope with the changing needs of their bodies.
In this difficult phase, mothers are usually the best friends of their daughters and closely help them navigate through the inconvenient transition with confidence. They are the key guides and companions who help their girls cope up with the change in body, hormones and subsequent moods and feelings.
The session involving around 100 students at Meenakshi Public school focused on the need for providing comprehensive education, emotional support and encouragement to discuss their issues openly with their mothers.
In the hour long talk, Dr. Amita Shah, Gynecologist, Columbia Asia Hospital, Gurgaon, discussed about the hormonal changes that mark menstruation and shared some tips and advices to take care of health and hygiene during the time. She also spoke about the need to shed the taboo and awkwardness associated with periods and encourage girls to discuss their problems openly.
“Menstruation marks the first major change in a girl’s life. While she undergoes many body and hormonal changes, it also affects her overall personality. In our society there is a tendency to associate a sense of embarrassment with periods, when in reality this is a natural phenomenon that happens to half of the world’s population. Though the physical and emotional discomfort is unavoidable, the awkwardness can certainly be done away with. Out of embarrassment and a sense of shame, many girls do not openly discuss their adolescent issues with anyone and are even hesitant in taking medical help. Mothers should encourage their daughters to discuss their issues openly with them. During the time, girls need comfort and support to bear through the transition, which can best be provided by mothers,” said Dr. Amita Shah, Gynecologist, Columbia Asia Hospital, Gurgaon.
The start of the menstruation is called menarche and it continues until the woman reaches her menopause. Controlled by several hormones, menstruation is a part of cyclical process that prepares the woman's body for the development of a fertilized egg.
“Menstruation is monthly process which ideally occurs every 28 days. However, with most of the girls the repetition of the cycle varies from 21 to 35 days. In an average, the cycle continues for 3-8 days and the estimated blood loss during the cycle is 30ml. However, the statistics and figures may vary depending upon the body type and health of a woman. The 1 time of month makes the body of the woman vulnerable to many infection and diseases. Therefore, it is very important to maintain sanitation and good hygiene during the time,” added Dr. Amita Shah.
