Periods are a totally normal part of a woman's life - but there are so many misconceptions and myths that simply aren't true. Many women can be left feeling confused over all of the varying information out there, so it can be tricky to work out what's true and what's a myth. And with such a stigma around anything to do with periods, it can make it embarassing to talk about.
It was only 2017 when the first period product advert used red blood instead of blue - in a bid to try and remove some of the taboo around menstrual blood. From wondering if you can sleep with a tampon into knowing if pregnancy stops periods completely, we're here to debunk some of the most common period myths and help understand what happens during a menstrual cycle - with advice from a range of different experts. To start with, let's go back to the basics.
A woman's menstrual cycle is not the same as a period. The duration of a woman's bleeding is known as menstruation, but the menstrual cycle is the entire time from one period finishing, to the next one starting. It's averaged that the cycle length is 28 days but this can change for every woman.
Some cycles can be between 29 to 35 days, while some can be shorter. Varying factors can alter cycle lengths such as weight, travel, emotions and some medications as well. It's also important to note that period blood isn't "dirty" blood - that's a huge misconception.
It's not the body's way of flushing out toxins or a rejection of bodily fluids. According to He.