Article - Has the time come to talk about ‘Monthly Holiday’?

All of us have grown up hearing about the ‘holiday’ for the lady of the household for those three days every month. In many families, this practice still continues to adhered to till date. Along with the holiday concept is the concept of impurity of women during their periods. According to the customs, she is disallowed from taking part in any religious ceremonies, not allowed into most parts of the household and treated as untouchable during the first three days of menstrual cycle. 

This isolation of women during the menstrual cycle has contributed towards her exclusion from many social and religious events as well as serves as a tool to consider her inferior to men. Many men do not know or may not even comprehend as to what is menstrual cycle even though they may have studied it in texts. Boys are shoed away when they try to ask questions about this phenomenon.

Culture Machine, a digital media company put in place a “menstrual leave policy,” allowing women to take a paid day off during their period without dipping into sick days or vacation time. It is one of a handful of private Indian companies to have started such policies in recent months. Menstrual leaves are recognized in few other countries, among them Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia, South Korea and Zambia*. What is the condition that requires Leave/ holiday for women during menstrual cycle?

Dysmenorrhea is painful menstrual cramps of uterine origin. It is commonly divided into primary dysmenorrhea (pain without organic pathology) and secondary dysmenorrhea (pelvic pain associated with an identifiable pathologic condition, such as endometriosis or ovarian cysts). Pain duration is commonly eight to 72 hours and is usually associated with the onset of menstrual flow. Dysmenorrhea is very common. The prevalence of dysmenorrhea was 59 percent (95% confidence interval, 49 to 71 percent) and it may be severe enough to interfere with daily activities in up to 20 percent of women^**. 

The leave for menstrual cycle has set off fierce debate, not just in India but around the world. Experts say the spread of such policies — despite their best intentions — could actually deter women’s progress in the workplace*.

Whatever the conclusion of the debate may be, at least it has paved the way for bringing forth the discussion about menstrual cycle. This discussion itself is a very important function as both men and women need to discuss about the issue of Menstruation rather than hide it in the cloak of mystery or religious dogma.

Cervical cancer is showing an increasing trend in India. Multiple sexual partnerships, frequent abortions or termination of pregnancy, unhygienic menstrual hygiene conditions are few of the conditions implicated in cervical cancer. Recently when taxes were getting fixed for sanitary napkins in GST regime, women groups wanted the sanitary napkins to be put in 5% tax category. At that time, the government revealed the data that only about 12% of women are using sanitary napkins during the periods. What about the remaining 88% of women? How are they managing their menstrual hygiene? I vividly remember some women coming to ask my mother for cotton saris only  for the purpose of making sanitary napkins.

The menstrual hygiene, access to toilets with running water facility are the needs of the hour for women to participate in public as well as personal sphere on equal footing with men. It is high time that the society in general and women in particular start addressing the bio. Psycho, social issues related to menstrual cycle so that they can be comfortable with their bodies as well as the much needed personal space without being banned due to religious beliefs.

- Dr. Suman K Murthy

*https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/24/health/period-pain-paid-time-off-policy.html

**http://www.aafp.org/afp/2012/0215/p386.html Latthe PM, Champaneria R, Khan K. Dysmenorrhoea. Clin Evid Handbook. December 2011:643–645. Please visit http://www.clinicalevidence.bmj.com for full text and references.