Period myths… we’ve all heard them at some point. Periods may seem simple to you now, but remember back to when you were a girl and they seemed so mysterious? Your daughter may be feeling that way right now. She could be wondering when her first period will come. She may even be scared about it!
Tampons
1. You can’t get pregnant during your period
Ovulation cycles aren’t always regular. If you are on a particularly short ovulation cycle and a particularly long period, sperm can fertilize an egg even during menstruation. Use a condom every time!
2. Virgins can’t use tampons
Virgins certainly can use tampons, and tampons won’t take away their virginity. That’s something only sex can do.
3. You should rest during her period and avoid exercise
If you feel like exercising, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t. It’s actually a great way of controlling PMS symptoms and menstrual cramps because it increases the supply of oxygen to your muscles.
4. You lose a lot of blood in periods
This idea is pure fiction, girl. The average woman only loses about 2 to 3 tablespoons of blood during her period. Even if you’re someone who experiences menorrhagia (a.k.a. heavy bleeding), your uterus still only releases about 4 tablespoons of blood.
5. A Tampon can get lost in your vagina
Um, no. Let’s put this menstruation myth to bed right now. While you can get a tampon stuck inside of your vagina, you definitely cannot lose one. Your vagina is not nearly as deep as you might think. It opens more when you’re aroused in order for a penis to enter, but even so, it still can’t go anywhere. Your cervix is at the base of your uterus and prevents anything you put up there from going too far in.
If you put a tampon in and can’t find it, you may need to insert your fingers into your vagina and search for the string. While this may feel embarrassing or uncomfortable, it’s not the end of the world—and you certainly aren’t the first woman it has happened to.
6. Your periods stops when you get in the water
Women the world over have been perplexed by what happens when you have your period and get in the water. From the belief that you can’t swim during your period (especially in the ocean because, ya know, sharks) to thinking that your flow stops entirely when you are in the water, there are a lot of misconceptions. To be clear, a shark will not smell your period blood and mistake you for lunch. Promise. On the topic of whether your period stops when you’re in the water, this is also a fallacy. While the pressure of the water may make your blood stay inside of your vagina, it doesn’t stop the flow completely. As soon as you get out of the bathtub or swimming pool your period will continue, business as usual.
7. Women will contaminate food
In parts of rural India, there is a myth that women cannot water plants or cook during their period because their “uncleanliness” will spoil the food. In rural India, 55 percent of girls surveyed believed they could not cook or enter the kitchen during and 4 days after menstruation or food would sour.
These are some of the most common period myths in India. If you know someone is about to get her periods, like your daughter or your little sister, talk to her and put her mind at ease.