Period does not stop during pandemic and not even for those who are returning home while travelling for over 1,200 kilometres

Period does not stop during pandemic and not even for those who are returning home while travelling for over 1,200 kilometres. Women including teenagers and middle-aged women travelling from Maharashtra to their village in Uttar Pradesh are no different and hence, facing the same menstrual cramps, weakness and even at a lack of sanitary pads.

Among thousands of migrant workers, many women are crossing Indore and other districts in Madhya Pradesh. After photos of their cracked feet went viral, district administration and social workers have started offering them food packets and slippers.

However, a pain that cannot be depicted by photographs and yet faced by every woman is another trouble for women travelling among the troops.

Handling period pains is not easy for most women even on an ordinary day. These women are not only fighting the pain but also travelling most of the day burning up the last inch of strength in their bodies.

“You cannot say and even expect an entire troop to wait for us, because we are on period,” explained Savita Arya, a woman undergoing extreme period cramps, shared.  

As per National Family Health Survey estimate of the 336 million menstruating women in India about 121 million (roughly 36 percent) women are using sanitary napkins, locally or commercially produced.

Expecting these women to have access to sanitary napkins is essential putting on a rosy goggles and refusing to look at the reality. It was surprising for Meena Hinduja, a social worker, when 17-year-old Praveen whispered to her if she could give her a sanitary napkins.

This happened on Friday morning, when Meena along with some other social workers had gone to Bypass road to distribute food and ORS among migrant workers.

“I was actually pained and happy at the same time, and my immediate reaction was to reach into my purse and give her my emergency menstruation kit,” Meena said. She was surprised that the little girl actually knew about sanitary napkins and could use one.

“I felt ashamed not to have thought of it before, so of course, the next day, I plan to carry sanitary napkins for as many women as I can,” Meena said.

Travelling during menstruation without necessary hygiene can double the risks of infections and infertility, as shared by gynaecologist Dr Usha Shrivastava.

“Using unclean pads or cloth pieces or other alternatives can actually lead to fungal infections, reproductive tract infection, urinary infection and even make a woman vulnerable to infertility,” she said. These risks are doubled during travelling, as we come across several new infections, environment and risks in long-distance commute.

“There are still women who are using things like dried leaves, plastic, cloth and such as a substitute for sanitary napkins and this is already a major issue in the entire country,” Usha said.

Explaining what hurdles basic menstrual hygiene, psychiatrist Dr Smita Agrawal said, “In India, it is still more of social stigma than availability and access to sanitary napkins.” She explained that many people treat a woman differently and label her as ‘unclean’ if she is menstruating.

“Menstruation is a natural process, which actually shows the blessing, i.e. fertility of a woman, but nobody acknowledges that, which results in even teenagers feeling embarrassed about getting her period,” Smita said.