Break the taboo & myths. Period

Gauri Singhal debunks some myths stemming from a stark lack of awareness about menstruation

Menstruation is a biological process that is experienced by half of the world’s population. Yet, there are numerous myths around the topic, especially in India. These myths stem from a stark lack of awareness about menstruation among the masses. Here are some common period myths that need to be debunked:

A lot of blood is lost

While it might seem that you lose buckets of blood over those five days, this notion is quite far from the truth. Women actually lose only 2-3 tablespoons of blood throughout each period. In case you lose too much blood, soaking more than 6-7 tampons during a day, it is a good idea to visit the doctor to rule out other conditions such as fibroids or polyps.

You can’t have sexual intercourse

Many women believe that having sex on their period will make them bleed more, but this is false. While an orgasm that makes your uterus contract can push more blood out of your vagina at a time, it will definitely not increase the total amount of blood you lose during your period. Additionally, it is also not true that you cannot get pregnant while on your period, so do not say no to protection during that time of the month.

Exercising is bad for you

This is far from the truth. The fact is, a little exercise during your period will not harm you.

No tampons for young girls

Tampons are extremely comfortable and take the shape of the vagina. Tampons do not rupture the hymen. In rare cases, if the hymen is ruptured, it still does not mean that you have lost your virginity.

(The author is founder & CEO, Visionaari)