Do you remember that silly superstition that women should be kept away from the kitchen when on their period, or else they would spoil any food in making?
Yeah, it sounds pretty ridiculous today.
There are, however, many common misconceptions related to menstruation we still believe to be true.
It’s about time we debunk period myths and take a more open-minded, evidence-based approach.
Here are 5 period myths that turned out to be false:
If you want to ward off any possible surprises, it would be wise to avoid non-protected sex toward the end of your period. The chances to get pregnant during menstrual bleeding are very low, but they do exist. Women with shorter menstrual cycles should be particularly cautious because they could very well conceive a few days after their period ends. This is so because the sperm can live inside a woman’s vagina or uterus for up to 5 days!
There’s nothing wrong with either taking a bath or swimming during your period. On the contrary, a warm bath could ease your menstrual cramps while light swimming could help with backache. This myth dates back to the period when public baths were quite popular, and bleeding presented a real hygiene concern because tampons or menstrual cups weren’t an option.
There really is no evidence that would support the myth that menstrual bleeding attracts animals of prey, so don’t worry about your period attracting sharks while enjoying your ocean swim. It’s worth noting that it’s best to steer clear from them nonetheless!
Menstrual blood need not always be red. The color says a lot about your health and hygiene, more specifically about your estrogen levels and the freshness of the blood. For example, the strawberry red color could indicate abnormally low estrogen levels, while the brownish color implies it’s time to replace your pad.
Additionally, the orange color might be caused by some kind of infection, so keep an eye on any further symptoms or pay a visit to your gynecologist to be 100% sure.
Though a lot of women may disagree, doctors tell us that menstrual bleeding during your pregnancy is impossible. Many women experience so-called implantation bleeding and mistake it for their period. Implantation bleeding lasts shorter, typically up to 2 days, and results in a light flow, rather than a heavy discharge caused by a regular period.
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