Destigmatizing Women’s Health: Let Talk Taboo

Written by Sukruta Kulkarni Student, Goa Institute of Management (GIM)

Conversations about women's health are rarely initiated within families or communities, primarily due to a lack of awareness and a reluctance to comprehend the intricacies of a woman's body and its significant impact on her overall well-being. This article primarily focuses on women’s health issues and how we must analyse and combat them. Everyone may have heard the big words called Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) or Breast Cancer Urinary tract Infection. Still, few may know the ground scenario of what a woman goes through in such cases.

   PCOS is a condition where women often have unusual or very long periods, where the concentration of androgen hormone unexpectedly increases, and the reproductive system fails to release eggs monthly. Nobody talks about this disease's mental and emotional side effects, which is the prime reason for most girls suffering from depression. Imagine the plight of a girl who cannot attend a family function because society or her family is not ready to show a face which is filled with acne and pores; imagine the plight of a girl who is bullied in school because of hirsutism which results from excess of male hormone called androgen, imagine the plight of a girl who goes through severe menstrual pain but cannot communicate this to her family as the kin would mark it as an impertinent issue to talk about. These are the questions everyone should think about and consider as to why it takes place. Why a woman’s decision to visit a gynaecologist is taken by her family and not herself? Why do women often visit the gynecologist with another woman, rather than a male family member like their brother, father, or husband? Why is the field of gynaecology primarily associated with pregnancy? The ground reality worsens the situation, where the treatment choice is not even communicated to her, and the prime motive of visiting a gynaecologist is not discussed within the family to avoid embarrassment and ignominy in society. Unexpected weight loss and weight gain provoke shame in the family, and probably no one even clarifies why a woman has gained or lost weight because we think nothing can justify this situation.

          The transition of a woman’s body from adolescence to adulthood is such a sensitive and fragile one. During this transition, a woman’s reproductive system develops, she gets her periods, and she also experiences vaginal odour and excessive discharge, which is so unprecedented that it becomes difficult for her to understand and act on it.  Women themselves are unaware of what they are going through, which makes it difficult for them to explain it to others. Stress eating, inadequate sleep schedule, and lethargy are some practices a woman adapts to because of the extremities of such health issues. The most challenging part is the conversation between the gynaecologist and the woman. The anxiety that a woman goes through before such discussion is enormous; a woman is scared to talk about her body, emotions, concerns and motherhood.

   As a society, we should understand and work together to change the system as a woman’s health reflects her biology and socio-cultural, economic and physical environment. Small initiatives will go a long way, encouraging and exceptionally healthy discussions in the family. Accompanying the women in the family while going for visits, understanding the disease, the treatment, and the impact together and deciding as a whole can work wonders. Community meet-ups where women can share their experiences and empathize with each other will help them gain strength to combat such health conditions. Quarterly check-ups and immunisation should be implemented in the family.

The health of a woman and the growth of a family are interlinked. We must consider all these situations and consequences and act accordingly because it is ultimately about what message we want to pass on to the next generations and change society.

#Women #health #SDG3 #SDG5 #collaboration #awareness #globalgoals #CSSAGIM