The suffering of women who feel immense and unbearable period pain may soon be alleviated as paid menstrual leave is eyed as a possibility. It has been suggested that menstrual leave should be made universal to promote productivity among women.

A leading expert of gynecology and obstetrics, Gedis Grudzinskas, believes that providing 'menstrual leave' will boost women's motivation and productivity while working, as told by Daily Mail. Grudzinskas, formerly of St. Bartholomew's Hospital in London, is known worldwide in the field of infertility, gynecology and reproductive medicine.

As per the plan proposed by the doctor, 'menstrual leave' is suggested to cover a maximum of three days each month and should be separate from sick leave entitlement. He justifies his point by saying that many women do not feel normal when menstruating, which consequently affects their work performance.

Such leaves are already a reality in some countries like Japan and Indonesia. The concept started during the 1920s and 1930s when there were no adequate facilities at the work place, especially those with extreme and difficult working conditions like bus conductors and textile workers.

The proposed idea triggered many online and offline debates over the issue. Telegraph has come up very strongly against the proposed idea, saying that women do not need to be patronised by male bosses by forcing them to hide while going through their menstrual cycles. They even asserted that such proposal will only send us back to the dark ages, making women vulnerable and unable to perform well in work areas.

It has also been reported by Medical Daily that a provision of such liberal leaves can have its own disadvantages as it can be misused as an excuse for unnecessary absence from work. In South Korea, where 'menstrual leave' is granted, women are found to be misusing the privilege. There is a flipside, however, as women in Indonesia have been asked to strip off to prove their current condition.

The subject of 'menstrual leave' has been quite controversial. Such a law was proposed in Russia, but was quickly shot down by feminists and was never considered again. The law in Japan was implemented in 1947, keeping in mind the popular belief that women who do not rest while menstruating may face severe problems later like miscarriage and premature birth.