Top Questions to Ask Your Gynaecologist about Your Periods?

In this day of everchanging lifestyle, women have a lot of issues regarding menstruation, varying from irregularities of the cycle to pregnancies – but the core question remains the same:

What, when, and how to deal with them and keep pace with the rapidly evolving world, managing personal, professional, and social constructs like a cakewalk. So, following the menstrual health and menstrual hygiene initiative, women must better understand their bodies to have a healthy body and a healthy mind, especially when it comes to the less discussed topic of menstruation.

Here Are A Few Questions That Women Commonly Ask Their Gynaecologist:

1. What Is Menstruation? 

   Menstruation is the natural process in which the body sheds the endometrial lining of the uterus, along with blood and other tissue, through the vagina. This occurs when a released egg is not fertilized, leading to a drop in hormone levels that triggers the shedding. Menstruation typically happens at regular intervals of about 28 days (though it can range from 21 to 35 days) and begins at puberty (menarche), continuing until menopause, marking the end of a woman's reproductive years

2. Why Does Your Body Need Menstruation?

   Menstruation is a natural process that prepares the female body for pregnancy each month. During the menstrual cycle, the body builds a thick, nutrient-rich lining in the uterus to support a potential pregnancy. If pregnancy does not occur, hormone levels drop, signaling the body to shed this lining as a menstrual period. This cycle plays a vital role in balancing hormones, maintaining uterine health, and serving as a key indicator of overall well-being.

   Regular menstruation shows that hormones and reproductive organs work well, while changes might signal health issues. Though it may be inconvenient, menstruation is vital for reproductive health and plays an essential role in maintaining general wellness in the body.

3. When Should Your Period Occur?

   As a rule, a cycle that commences within 21-35 days on average is termed a regular cycle. This regularity indicates that your hormonal functions are fully working.

4. Even if  I Get My Period 7 Days Late, with or without Having Unprotected Intercourse, Am I Pregnant, or Is Something Wrong with Me?

   The answer is that your average, regular period can get delayed up to 7 days without any identifiable reason, which is perfectly normal. If unprotected sexual intercourse has taken place, a homemade kit test is available to check the pregnancy status. Still, if it's negative and occurs within 7 days, you don’t need to worry much about it.

   Stress, lifestyle changes, and concurrent medications, including contraceptive use, can delay your menstruation. If the period is delayed more than that and in many subsequent cycles, this could suggest an underlying issue.

   However, when a girl starts her period, the initial cycles may be irregular, but this regularises perfectly; if it does not, a checkup is always suggested. The concept of menstrual health and hygiene is crucial in this step because many mishaps happen worldwide due to the lack of knowledge of menstrual hygiene and practices.

5. When Should Your Periods Start in Life?

   The term is menarche, and the average age to start your menstrual cycle is 9 to 16. Anything earlier than that or delayed should suggest an evaluation.

6. What Is The Concept of The Menstrual Health And Menstrual Hygiene Initiative?

   Gender inequality, cultural taboos, and poverty can cause menstrual health needs to be unmet on a large scale, which impacts not only the individual but may have effects on the entire nation as a whole in global indexes. The knowledge of menstrual health and hygiene is crucial for saving the lives of women, making its importance genuinely unimaginable.

   In many parts of the world, a significant number of women rely on torn cloth, rags, or even ashes for their sanitary needs during menstruation. This not only compromises the sterility of the physiological process but also exposes them to serious infections that, if left untreated, could even result in death. Additionally, adolescent girls often face stigma, harassment, and social exclusion during menstruation, further exacerbating this challenging scenario

   Here Are A Few Goals of The Mnstrual Health And Menstrual Hygiene Initiative: 

   • Social support
   • Knowledge to manage menstrual health and hygiene correctly
   • Facilities and services to manage menstrual health
   • Access to menstrual products and supportive supplies

   Adolescent women are the primary target population for menstrual health and hygiene. They are the backbone of a growing population and are critical determinants of future progress on individual, National, or International levels.

7. How Can We Delay The Menstrual Cycle? What Is The Safety Rationale?

   Women who want to delay their menstrual cycles for many reasons, be it personal or societal, should be adjusted on a case-to-case basis. Caution should be advised at every decision made, and over-the-counter medications should not be taken without medical supervision.

8. Doctor, I Am Getting Some Whitish Discharge from My Lady Parts. Is It Bad?

   First of all, vaginal secretion during the menstrual period or intercourse or stimulation is a normal phenomenon. But if the discharge smells fishy or creamy cakey discharge, or you are having a high amount of itching there, it's better to get it evaluated. Unprotected intercourses are a common way of sexually transmitted infections, which can further cause infertility as well.

9. The (Un)pleasant Question about Sexual Partner(s):

   Having intercourse is as physiological as breathing. However, specific medically oriented guidelines exist for it to be done properly. Adhering to these guidelines helps prevent diseases and promotes overall well-being.

   Persons with emotional instability or specific mental health diseases might indulge in reckless sexual behavior. The majority of them include unnatural sexual habits or unprotected sexual intercourse, which lead to pregnancy, and venereal diseases like HIV and Hepatitis and other STIs, which can be fatal if undetected or untreated.

   So, if you are having urges that you feel are inappropriate or having symptoms of a mental health condition, please get appropriate help to prevent significant physical or social consequences.

10. I Am on Birth Control; I Can Use Substances As Much As I Wish, But It Won't Affect Me. Right?

    This is a futile myth that needs to be debunked because pills or implants secrete hormones at their rate, which prevent pregnancies in their mechanisms. But this has to be kept in mind: our body has robust enzyme systems that are responsible for the majority of the metabolism going on. There are specific enzyme inducers and inhibitors that alter the levels of the contraceptive drugs, thus causing pill failure, which results in pregnancies that are unplanned and also have long-term consequences both on the individual and the families.

11. I Have An Unplanned Pregnancy; Abortion Will Work, Sight?

    Abortion is a medical procedure used to end an unwanted pregnancy, and it is a safe and familiar option for those who choose it. There are two primary types: Medical abortion is generally recommended up to 10 weeks of pregnancy (70 days from the first day of the last menstrual period). and surgical abortion, a procedure performed by healthcare providers at various stages. Abortion is widely practised and, when done by a qualified professional, carries a low risk of complications. It's essential to seek care from a licensed healthcare provider. Laws and availability vary, so understanding the location is also crucial.

Takeaway

The list of questions mentioned above is a few examples of the questions asked by women of any age group to their gynaecologist. However, if you face any issues regarding which you don't have any idea, you must visit a doctor. It is better not to seek solutions or ask questions to peers and family members as they might not know the correct approach to solve your problem. Therefore, it might create more stress and confusion and can lead to wrong solutions.