Nigerian Lives: 6 Women Discuss Managing Menstrual Cramps at Work

Known clinically as dysmenorrhea, menstrual cramps happen when the uterus contracts to shed its lining, causing abdominal and pelvic pain just before or during menstruation. In 2023, the Nigerian workforce comprised about 31.3 million female employees, and dysmenorrhea was the leading cause of lost working hours for these women. Despite its prevalence, menstruation remains a taboo in many workplaces, including in Nigeria. This stigma isn’t unique to the country; a 2019 study by Initial Washroom Hygiene found that 32% of men in the United Kingdom thought it was “unprofessional” for women to talk about periods at work. The study polled women, many of whom admitted that they would rather confess to a mistake or give out relationship advice than speak about their periods in front of their male colleagues. 

To shed light on this issue, Culture Custodian spoke to six Nigerian women about their experiences managing menstrual cramps in the workplace.

Sophia*

I once worked for a female-owned NGO that didn’t have menstrual pads at the office. One day, my period came unexpectedly, and I had to go out to get one. I didn’t voice out anything, I was new at the job. That was my first month. I just found it strange that we didn’t have pads in a female-owned NGO where the majority of the employees like myself are women. 

Also, we didn’t have period leave. My team lead would come to her office with her hot water pad and place it on her stomach while she worked. It was funny and sad to see. Also, I didn’t last long there. My team lead resigned in my third month there and the boss fired the entire team. 

Obianuju

So I have stomach issues. One time, my period came 2 days before time. This time, I was prepared because I had a box of pads that I toted around. I went into the staff room and I brought out my pad because it was closest to the bathroom. And then one of my older colleagues, a woman started berating me for letting boys see it. There was no boy in the room at that point.

Orake 

My office is female run and there was this one time I was having severe period cramps in my waist and legs. I couldn’t stand up, sit down, work, or do anything. When it got too bad I went to my manager’s office to explain and request to leave early. But as soon as I got there and was about to open my mouth, I just broke down and started crying. She took me to her couch, sent for a pillow from her car, and offered to massage my waist till I was ok. When I was more stable she said I should go home and get better. My office only operates physically twice a week so I wasn’t coming back in till the next week. She waited till I got my Uber to the hospital and I could never forget that. I know this isn’t the general attitude but damn, I was moved.

Faith*

Last year around November, I had one of the worst cramps ever due to hormonal imbalance and I was literally throwing up everywhere, running a fever, and cramped up. But, I was still at work.

My director called me into his office and mansplained cramps to me and how pain is a thing of the mind. Mind you, I was dying but he kept me standing for close to 45 minutes chatting shit. Talking about how his wife and daughters do their work without complaining about cramps and I should do better, I left his office in tears because even my dad has never spoken to me like that. This man really compared me to all the women in his life just because I had cramps that I ended up taking progesterone shots for.

Angelica*

Told my HR (a woman) I was having cramps and migraines and I needed to go home and she said I should go and sleep it off. Then she asked me if I was the only one that got her period in the office. She also didn’t believe me when I told her I had cramps, and said it was because of too much sugar. She was giving me instances of other people who had cramps and what they did as if everyone experiences cramps the same way and the same thing would work for everybody. She said my cramps were all in my head and I was being dramatic.

I feel she doesn’t respect me enough, probably because she’s a bit older. She had been behaving weirdly since the first day and I let her know that I wouldn’t stand for it. It made me feel bad. Because I have PMDD and from my ovulation week to my period week, I’m on an emotional rollercoaster. I wasn’t able to focus on work for a while. I had to go over her head to the female ED who is more understanding.

Workplaces prioritizing women’s health create a better working environment and promote productivity. They can put sanitary products and painkillers in the first aid box and listen when women make complaints about their health. The admin and HR managers need to be trained properly because most of them lack manners and have old-school thinking about the menstrual cycle.

Adeola*

I can’t really remember the date, but I know it was two years ago. September/October. I woke up late that day, I felt tired but I didn’t know it was my period giving me signs and all. I didn’t even wait to prepare breakfast for myself because I was already late. But thankfully, I wore a pad (I know this is embarrassing but I still don’t know how to calculate my period, so I just wore one, in case). 

It was when I got to school (I teach), that the pain became intense. I was writhing in pain and in tears. The pupils were even shocked to see me crying. Mind you, I’d never taken permission to leave the school before, I made sure of that. Other older teachers advised me to meet with the headmaster so I could go home because of the pain. With the pain, I left for her office but I met the Assistant Headmistress instead, she already told me to go when the HM came in. The Assistant Head Mistress told her what happened and what she said, but the HM said not to release me. She told me to sleep it off at the sick bay.  I left her office angrily and asked around for pain relief drugs to ease the pain. The HM came back to ask if I was feeling okay, I told her off and said I was fine. She left angrily too.