No relief in dealing with incapacitating period pain

PETALING JAYA: While women are an important resource to drive economic growth, little attention has been paid to why some are insisting on being given menstrual leave.

Consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr Sharifah Halimah Jaafar said menstrual leave would not only help female productivity but also break the taboo of discussing period-related problems and change the narrative that period pain is normal.

She said those affected by endometriosis are usually incapacitated, unable to focus at work and have to take time off to manage the pain, adding that they may even have to see a doctor to get medical leave or use their annual leave, if they have exhausted the former.

Endometriosis is a condition resulting from the appearance of endometrial tissue outside the uterus and causing pelvic pain, especially associated with menstruation.

The pain is usually chronic and progresses over time.

“It can occur a few days before, during and after menstruation. In severe cases, it can be associated with painful intercourse, painful bowel (movement) or urination and gastrointestinal disturbance.

“They may also have infertility and a history of previous surgery due to endometriosis. The degree of pain can be assessed by asking the patient to score their pain from zero (no pain) to 10 (maximum pain).”

Sharifah said the majority of women have periods without pain and only a small percentage may have physiological period pains, which are often mild.

Endometriosis Association (MyEndosis) Kuala Lumpur and Selangor president Surita Mogan said if menstrual leave is given to women who genuinely suffer chronic period pain, substantiated by medical letters, it would create a harmonious working environment for all.

“If employees feel their welfare at work is taken care of, they would be loyal and more productive when they resume work. There are many studies which prove that happy employees are a lot more committed and productive. When support is present at work, motivation will increase.

“I am all for equality at work, but we cannot deny that women and men are biologically different, and we have to work around this to make it possible for women to work effectively,” she said.

According to a report in Vital Statistic Malaysia 2021, the total fertility rate of women of reproductive age in Malaysia declined in 2020 and was at its lowest in four decades.

“This is not good news, and in the long run, we have to rely heavily on foreign human resources, which would not benefit our country,” Surita said.

She added that menstrual leave is practised in countries such as Taiwan, Japan, Korea and Indonesia, with limited signs of abuse. This is because the culture promotes trust and acceptance that some women have chronic period pain.

“Usually, when women with chronic pain resume work in these countries, they can fully commit to working with ease. Of course, there will be a few bad apples that would abuse the policy, so employers need to monitor it and have strict guidelines to curb abuse.

“In South Korea, female employees are guaranteed increased compensation if they do not take menstrual leave. Although a small number of women make use of this benefit, the trend of doing so is declining.

“Some 23% of South Korean women in a 2013 poll reported taking period leave. The rate reached an all-time low of 19.7% in 2017,” she said.

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