The Independent
LONDON: Although menstruation is a fact of life, many still see the subject as taboo, which is why we end up with a circulation of myths and misinformation.
A doctor in Australia has had enough of this, after being “constantly surprised” by some of the old wives’ tales he hears at his clinic about periods and the contraceptive pill.
Speaking to news.com.au, Dr Brad McKay said “no topic should be off-limits” and that the more information you have about your body, the healthier you will be.
One of the biggest myths he said he heard on a regular basis was: “I need to have my period every month to know I’m not pregnant.”
McKay responded: “I’ve spoken with many women who feel uncomfortably bloated if they haven’t had their period each month. It’s better to have a monthly bleed than feel disgusting all the time, but some women choose to have a period just so they know they’re not pregnant.
“Choosing to have period pain, abdominal cramps and an irritable mood just to remind yourself that you’re not growing a foetus isn’t necessary.”
A recent study that looked into universal attitudes around menstruation found that there were over 5 000 different slang terms for the word “period”.
Conducted by Clue with The International Women’s Health Coalition, more than 90 000 responses were recorded covering issues including education, taking time off from work and how comfortable we feel about discussing the subject.
Meanwhile, the recent “scandal” of endometriosis brought attention to the disease estimated to affect one in 10 women – but is often not diagnosed for years due to occasional dismissal as “women’s troubles”, along with societal attitudes towards women’s bodies.