Menstrual health and hygiene guide

Menstruation is a natural biological process in most women's life - not bad blood or dirty blood as many are taught to believe. Each month when you ovulate, your body releases an egg from your ovary to your fallopian tube. If the egg is not fertilized, it moves into the endometrium to the uterus, and then later is shed off as blood, that's why you menstruate.

To manage menstruation healthily and effectively, women need to know about the menstrual cycle, how to tell when you are about to have your period and how to maintain proper hygiene habits. Practising good menstrual health and knowing your body is the utmost self-care a woman can give to herself. Practising good menstrual health not only includes washing genitals and changing your tampons or sanitary pads but also knowing how to properly manage your symptoms.

Preparing for your period Being aware of when your period is about to come can help you prepare. Pack your sanitary pads or tampons in advance so that you don't have to improvise. Using anything else but proper collection methods (sanitary pads, tampons, menstrual cups, clean menstrual panties or cloths) can harm your vagina's health.

Use menstrual collection methods the correct way Make sure to not only use the right sanitary collection methods but also use them the right way. Never over-soak your pads, always change them every couple of hours and use the right clothes to accommodate it. Do not use overly tight clothes as it can prevent the genital area from "breathing". Tight pants, an unclean or a dried out pad, or a soaked tampon/pad worn over several hours can harm your health and lead to a bad, intense smell. When changing pads or tampons, always 👏 wash 👏 your 👏 hands!

Keep it clean During your period, try to clean yourself using only water - after peeing, before you change into a new pad and during the shower. Contrary to popular belief, you should never use scented products (or douche) when washing your genital area. Scented products can kill the good bacteria and make way for infections, as it alters your natural ph.

​Use the Grace App to keep a good hygiene practice

• To prepare, check on the Grace App when your next period is, and pack your collection methods one or two days before the predicted date.

• If you want to learn more about the different collection methods, or are curious about the different alternatives type “collection methods” in the Grace app chat.

• To get more actionable hygiene tips, type “bonus hygiene content” in the Grace app chat!

• And don’t forget to keep track of your discharge, as it can indicate infections. Click the + button on the home page and select the discharge type that represents you each day of your cycle. Grace will alert when your body shows unusual symptoms.

Poor menstrual hygiene can cause urinary tract infections, vaginal infections and rashes, which could lead to complications such as infertility. Make sure to follow these tips to practice good menstrual hygiene!

Stay informed, stay in control.