Adolescent menstrual Cycle and sexual health

As we know, adolescence is a period of lots of emotional and physical changes in a girl’s body, drived by hormones, it is a major turning point in the life of girl. How we prepare our girls to welcome these changes, understand them and accept them , proves a lot important in journey of girl through these rollercoaster rides of hormones. Ignorance about own body and changes it goes through create lot of troubles and girls lose self confidence and develop anxiety , body image issues, stress. Also menstruation disorders affect girls’ health in negative way and if not attended medically, they can lead to anaemia, malnutrition, mood disorders,obesity. Also our society doesn’t talk about sex education. Ignorance about it causes sexually transmitted diseases, teen pregnancies and thus affect girls’ health in negative way. Young girls with pregnancy have higher risks of criminal abortions, hypertension, increased chance of caesarean surgeries, which lead to higher morbidity and mortality. Sexual abuse is also very common in both rural and urban setting and teaching all genders consent plays a major role. Also teaching adolescent children about what constitutes sexual abuse and how to protect themselves from it, how to report it, play important role. Taking sessions for both boys and girls about menstruation, sex education is much needed where a safe place is provided to children to discuss these taboo topics and answer all their curiosity. Knowledge and awareness are strong weapons against abuse and diseases, and it is time to empower our children with them. Teaching things in scientific way and mixed with examples from different scenarios help children grasp topic fully and can produce safe and responsible behaviour in children towards their body and health. Also adolescent period if full of emotional turmoil. Having somebody to talk with about their emotions is also much needed. If they can get proper place to open up, it will help in immediate as well as long term mental health of children.

Author(s): Dr. Ayshwarya Revadkar

Abstract | Full-Text | PDF

Share This Article