Menstrual cycle and nocturnal emission( Health and Wellness)

Attaining Puberty 

•Describe basic understanding of menstrual cycle and nocturnal emission

•Describes ways to maintain personal hygiene especially during menstruation and after nocturnal emission

Discussion about Menstruation 

•Menstruation is the regular flow of blood and tissues from girls’ uterus in a monthly cycle.

•It usually continues for three to five days in each cycle. Individual variations may occur.

•If the bleeding continues for more than seven days regularly, consult a doctor.

•Should not interfere with the daily routine or anything they may want to do.

•Some girls and women feel energetic during their periods. Some experience low energy, or have backache, abdominal pain, headache, etc.

•Some experience anxiety or feel emotional or/and some discomforts due to hormonal fluctuations in the body.

•It usually begins in girls anytime between the ages of 9-16 years (menarche) and stops (menopause) around 45-55 years. Length of cycle varies from 21 to 45 days.

If a girl does not begin her periods until the age of 16, it is advisable to consult a qualified doctor. 

Maintaining Hygiene 

••Regular bath and washing self properly are important for avoiding infections.

•Change undergarments regularly (at least once a day) and avoid synthetic cloth.

•During menstruation, cloth, cloth pads, or napkins should be changed after every four to six hours to avoid infection.

•You can also make sanitary napkins at home with old cloth and cotton. Use only clean, soft cotton cloth.

•Ensure that the does not have any metal or plastic parts in it like glitter, ‘gota’ or hooks and buttons. This may hurt or cause infection.

• If cloth  is reused, it should be washed thoroughly with soap and dried in sun before next use as sunlight is an excellent disinfectant. Do not use dirty or damp cloth as it causes infections.

•Sanitary pads should be wrapped in paper and disposed in trash bins or buried deep in a pit.

Some schools have incinerators which offer another safe way to dispose sanitary pads. There should be no shame associated with in the process of disposing sanitary pads.

Government is supporting schemes for promoting     menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls (10-19 years). Sanitary napkins are made available free in schools or by (ASHA) Accredited Social Health Activists at a subsidised rate. 

Nocturnal Emission  - 

•Formation and discharge of semen can occur during mid-adolescence and manifests as nocturnal emission.

•It signifies reproductive maturity for an adolescent boy.

•It indicates that sperm production has started in the body.

•Nocturnal emission, also known as nightfall/wet dream, is normal and does not require any form of treatment.

•It is a natural process that many boys (but not all) may experience during adolescence.

•It has no negative influence on the body.

It is important to maintain hygiene.