9 Gynaecological Terms That Every Young Girl Should Be Familiar With

 

Summary: As your girl reaches the age of ten or eleven, it is of essence to start informing her about the basics of her gynecological health and possible problems. In the following post, I have highlighted some of the health-related terms and concepts that I educated my young daughter about.

 

 Even to this day, many mothers feel rather awkward to discuss gynaecological issues with their daughters. It is understandable that a young girl would feel a bit shy to share the details of the physical changes in her body (which start from around the age of ten) – and the onus is on the moms, to put them at their ease and to familiarize them with the basic tips and pointers regarding sexual health. I myself have a 17-year old daughter, and, from nearly six years back, I had started to educate her about the basics of gynecological health:

1. Cervix/vagina – I had taken my girl to a local sexology center, where detailed interactive sessions about the female reproductive systems were held. After returning home, my girl (she was eleven at the time) explained that the vagina was the connecting tube from the uterus. She had also learnt that babies ‘came’ out of the vagina. I skipped the details on ‘how’ the babies were made though – my daughter was too young for more details!
   
   
   
2. Menstruation – My regular gynaecologist in Kolkata had told me that my daughter was likely to have her first period when she was around 12, and I started guiding her about this phenomenon from a year or so in advance. As per my personal experience, I told her that periods lasted for about six days, and was accompanied by a small amount of blood discharge. My kid also learnt about the position of uterine lining during menstruation.
3. Hymen – My daughter loved horse-riding from a pretty tender age, but initially I did not allow her to follow this hobby. My chief fear was that, her hymen – the stretchy covering near the entrance of the vagina - might get damaged. Experts from my selected pregnancy and IVF center in Kolkata told me that there were no such risks, provided adequate protective paddings were worn. Of course, I explained what the hymen was to my girl too.
4. Urethra – While there was hardly anything to specifically explain about the spot from where ladies urinate, I told my daughter the medical name of the spot – the urethra. When she was 12 or 13, there was a mild infection around her urethra, and I had to take her to the nearest pregnancy abortion center for the necessary treatment advice.
5. Labia Majora & Minora – These were the clinical names for what was more colloquially known as the ‘vaginal lips’. One of our relatives is a gynecologist in Kolkata, and I had borrowed a medical glossary from him, to elucidate the shape and position of these parts to my little darling. I also briefly touched on the probable medical problems that can crop up in the Majora (i.e., the ‘outer lip’).
6. Sanitary tampons and pads – I knew that, just because my daughter knew what ‘having a period’ meant did not mean she would be shed off all types of embarrassed feelings about it. Hence, I had immediately proceeded to explain what sanitary pads and tampons were, and how they needed to be fitted – during menstruation. Since our chosen pregnancy and infertility clinic in Kolkata had a high-quality pharmacy too, there were no problems in the ready availability of such protective pads.
7. General cleanliness – From when my daughter was a tiny toddler, I had been extremely particular about her hygiene and general cleanliness. As she reached puberty, I took her to a fertility and sexology center, where the doctor advised her to shave off her pubic hair from the area near the genitals. I specifically requested my daughter to change the sanitary pads after every few hours, when she was having her period. In general, I make sure that she changes her undergarments everyday.
8. When was it right to have intercourses? – The onset of menstruation cycles was a pointer that the body was ready to conceive – but a teen pregnancy can be extremely dangerous, often leading up to messy abortion operations. Having casual sex with more than one person could also open up the chances of serious sexually transmitted diseases making an unwelcome appearance. In as sensitive a manner as possible, I explained to my kid about the advisability to avoid unprotected intercourses, which might cause her to visit an abortion center in Kolkata. Select a partner, and practice safe sex after becoming an adult – that was my advice!
9. Infertility symptoms – As your little darling blossoms into a gorgeous diva, apprehensions about her having fertility problems are hardly likely to be at the top of your mind. However, such complications can happen, which makes it imperative for young girls to know the symptoms which, if present, should serve as a pointer that they require infertility treatment. Along with my gynecologist relative, I prepared a list of all the symptoms that might cause a lady to go for IVF treatment in India. Till date, my daughter has had perfect gynecological health – and she knows what to do if any problems did crop up.

The two of us have gone through several pregnancy-related websites too, so that my girl got an idea of the trimesters that the nine months of expecting were divided into. I briefly discussed the concept of surrogacy as well. I would advise all the mothers out there to be proactive about giving their daughters basic gynecological education – your darlings might face serious confusions otherwise!