The Effects of Child Marriage.

 What is child marriage❔

Child marriage is a union between a child and an adult or between two children. The child most times is very young,  starting from age nine. Actually the rate of child marriages is usually high and common in girls compare to boys. It is also deeply rooted in gender inequality.

According to UNICEF, Niger has the highest record of child marriage in the world. While Bangladesh has the highest rate of marriage involving girls from age 15. South Asia has a record of 42 percent of child marriages; India alone accounts for one third of the global total.

In the preceding paragraphs, the effects and consequences will be discussed.

Causes;  According to UNFPA, The main cause of child marriage is poverty. Other factors include;traditions and cultures,control over sexuality and protecting family honor and insecurity particularly during war, famine or epidemic. Some other factors include family ties in which marriage is a means of merging powerful relations between families. And also lack of education also promotes child marriage. 

In most cultures, the older a girl becomes, the higher her dowry will be. Which means that her parents will pay more money to the groom, for this very reason , most girls are married as early as 11. While in some countries, like in Bangladesh, when a girl is 17 and unmarried it could ruin her reputation and that of her family because people will think she is having affairs.

Effects and consequences;  Child marriage has a long lasting and devastating effect on a girl's life and also on her health. These include;

1. It's ends her childhood, she is forced to be an adult before she is physically and emotionally ready to be an adult.
2. Child brides are less likely to remained in school after marriage.
3. They are at high risk of physical and sexual abuse.
4. They have more chances of dying due to pregnancy complications.
5. Due to the fact that their is not ready for child bearing they easily have obstetric fistula.
6. They can also easily contact HIV.
7. Psychologically, they are more likely to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD) and depression.
8. Due to the age difference and imbalance of power, alongside lack of love, many are not able to discuss contraceptives with their husbands which often leads to frequent pregnancies.

Some organisations such as UNICEF and UNFPA together launched the Global Program to End Child Marriage in 2016. And also GIRLS NOT BRIDES is a global partnership organisation aim to stop child marriage and enabling girls fulfill their potentials.

 PLEASE LET'S END CHILD MARRIAGES

Myths about menstruation.

 In ages, there has been a lot of misconception about menstruation that has affected young girls and women pyschology. Some women are even ashamed to pronounce the word menstruation.

Most cultures forbid women to talk about menstruation, seeing it as dirty, calling the blood from period bad blood. And also in some cultures women on their period are not allowed to stay indoors, they are kept in separate rooms far from the house. 

In this article , we will discuss some myths about menstruation to clear a few things up about period.

1. Period blood is dirty; This is so untrue,  Period blood isn’t rejected body fluids or the body’s way of flushing out toxins. Think of it as evolved vaginal secretion — there’s a little bit of blood, uterine tissue, mucus lining, and bacteria. But it doesn’t change whether or not we can have sex, and it doesn’t mean conditions are less than ideal down there. Period blood is very different from blood that moves continuously through the veins. In fact, it’s less concentrated blood. It has fewer blood cells than ordinary blood.

2. Taking sugary drinks or sweets during period will make the blood pump out more; There is no scientific research that supports this. It is completely false,, taking of sugary foods or drinks do not affect the amount of blood nor the pain felt during period.

3.Tampons can break the hymen; Many young girls are worried that a tampon can damage hymen which is the whole misconception about virginity. In reality, the hymen is a stretchy membrane that lines the opening of the vagina and does not ordinarily cover the vaginal opening. If this were the case, the hymen would block menstrual blood and other types of discharge from leaving the body. This would be dangerous, requiring surgical intervention to correct. The hymen is stretchy,  inserting a tampon won't break it. A person should always change tampons regularly as recommended about every 4 to 8 hours.  This is essential because accumulated blood,  tissue and bacteria could  cause  toxic shock syndrome. 

4. Exercise can disturb the menstrual flow; Exercise and playing sports can actually help to relieve the pains.  Physical activity won't disturb the menstrual flow. 

5. Period makes women to be impure; In some cultures,  women that are in their period are not allowed to cook or visit sacred places such as place of worship.  Period is part of being a woman,  there is nothing impure about it. You don't have to be ashamed about it. 

Moreover,  whenever you hear an information check with a nurse or doctor.  Myths are misleading,  so find the facts. 

 

COVID-19 Vaccines. Is it safe?

 Now that the vaccines of COVID-19 is available many are scared of taking it because they wonder if it's safe. In the proceeding paragraphs, points will be disscussed the of how the COVID -19 vaccines work.

The names of the COVID-19 vaccines.;

The first vaccine is Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine (and Moderna's) uses bits of genetic code to cause an immune response. These are called mRNA vaccines. They do not alter human cells, but merely present the body with instructions to build immunity to Covid.   The vaccine is 100% effective in preventing the COVID-19 virus in children ages 12 through 15. This vaccine is for people age 12 and older. It requires two injections given 21 days apart. The second dose can be given up to six weeks after the first dose, if needed.

The second vaccine is The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine uses a harmless virus altered to look a lot more like the pandemic virus.  This vaccine is for people age 18 and older. It requires two injections given 28 days apart. The second dose can be given up to six weeks after the first dose, if needed.

 Coronaviruses have a spikelike structure on their surface called an S protein. COVID-19 mRNA vaccines give cells instructions for how to make a harmless piece of an S protein. You might be having an allergic reaction to a COVID-19 vaccine if you experience these signs within four hours of getting vaccinated:

After vaccination, your cells begin making the protein pieces and displaying them on cell surfaces. Your immune system will recognize that the protein doesn't belong there and begin building an immune response and making antibodies.

What may likely happen;

Though, some recently immunised people have suffered unusual clots, including a type in the brain called cerebral sinus vein thrombosis (CSVT).This is not proof that the vaccine is to blame. Covid infection itself can also make clots more likely and they can occur naturally too. Experts stress the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risks for the vast majority of people, but is more finely balanced for younger adults. As a precaution, regulators are continuing to monitor the situation and advise symptoms, such as unusual bruising or persistent headache after vaccination, should prompt a medical check.

Allergies;

You might be having an allergic reaction to a COVID-19 vaccine if you experience these signs within four hours of getting vaccinated:

• hivess
• Swelling of the lips, eyes or tongue
• Wheezing

If you have any signs of an allergic reaction, get help right away. Tell your doctor about your reaction, even if it went away on its own or you didn’t get emergency care. This reaction might mean you are allergic to the vaccine. You might not be able to get a second dose of the same vaccine. However, you might be able to get a different vaccine for your second dose.

Be aware that anti-vaccine stories are spread online through social media. These posts are not based on scientific advice (or blend facts with misinformation).

Is it safe for pregnant women;                                                                                If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you may choose to get a COVID-19 vaccine. While further research is needed, early findings suggest that getting a COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy poses no serious risks. The findings are based on data from the CDC’s coronavirus vaccine safety monitoring system.   If you have concerns, talk to your health care provider about the risks and benefits.                                                                                                                                 So from the above one should not be scared of taking the vaccines, it's protect us from getting the disease which is very deadly. Equitable access to safe and effective vaccines is critical to ending the COVID-19 pandemic, so it is hugely encouraging to see so many vaccines proving and going into development. WHO is working tirelessly with partners to develop, manufacture and deploy safe and effective vaccines. Safe and effective vaccines are a game-changing tool: but for the foreseeable future we must continue wearing masks, cleaning our hands, ensuring good ventilation indoors, physically distancing and avoiding crowds. Being vaccinated does not mean that we can throw caution to the wind and put ourselves and others at risk, particularly because research is still ongoing into how much vaccines protect not only against disease but also against infection and transmission.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      * we love to hear from you please leave a reply*