It is a natural process that occurs when a woman is through with child bearing and is characterised by several changes that affect her body, one of which is disappearance of menstruation. But, the need of menstrual hygiene and understand the perimenopausal changes that are likely to occur to a woman continues to challenge her. The following is key information on what menstrual hygiene and its impact on vaginal health during menopause has in mind among the specialists.

As earlier mentioned, perimenopause is that stage where women are transitioning from the period of being able to bear children to menopause and during this transition the menstrual cycle is usually irregular. This issue affects the overall cycle unpredictably might result in thick periods to lightweight bleeding. This phase is crucial and needs a lot of care to be taken to avoid infections and avoid discomfort from poor menstrual hygiene practices.

Healthy womanhood entails washing the underwear or pants regularly, washing the vaginal area with clean, unscented soap, and wearing white thread or cotton briefs. These practices assist in avoiding undesirable episodes of bacterial and fungal infections given that the hormonal change during perimenopause increases chances of such incidents.

When still a woman approaches menopausal stage, there is reduction of estrogen in their system hence leading to vaginal dryness, thinning of the vaginal walls and natural lubrication is bound to reduce. Elena Don, writing for Marie Claire, says poor menstrual hygiene at this time is especially dangerous as it can lead to vaginal infections and discomfort. As previously highlighted, it is critical to ensure the area remains clean and dry as much as possible in order to maintain proper vaginal health.

Menstrual hygiene products are vital during perimenopause and one has to ensure they use the right ones in order to keep the body comfortable. Choose items with gentle formulation that should not contain chemicals that would cause skin reactions or trigger sensitivity to fragrance. It is a family planning method, some women may consider using cups or organic cotton pads and tampons since they are friendly for the skin. What makes these products prone to bacterial growth is their frequent use, and therefore, replacement is a must here.

But in postmenopausal women, hygiene has to be kept up and this is where douching comes in handy. Vaginal atrophy is a universally acknowledged state after a menopausal period and results in pain, itching and easy vulnerability to infections. Medical conditions may cause symptoms like itching and burning sensation in the genital area; such symptoms can be cleared or reduced by frequent use of vaginal moisturizers, taking a lot of water, and washing regularly.