It’s all lies. Bloody lies.
They can be painful, messy and sometimes embarrassing… maybe that’s why some of us don’t really talk about our menstrual cycle. So, it’s not surprise that when it comes to the topic of periods, tons of women are totally clueless about what’s really happening down there.
We’re debunking some of the most common (and ridiculous) period myths so that you can know your flow.
1. You can’t have sex on your period
*Cue Obama voice* Yes you can! There’s nothing stopping you! “It’s perfectly safe to have sex while you are having your period. It may be a little messy or awkward but it is not unsafe or unhealthy,” says Dr. Maria Sophocles, a board-certified gynae and the medical director of Women’s Healthcare of Princeton. The blood can actually serve as a natural lubricant (but just bare in mind that things can get a little messy, so use a towel). And a fair warning: being in the red doesn’t mean you can’t get pregnant.
2. You can’t get pregnant on your period
It works like this: when you menstruate, and egg is released from your ovaries and makes its way to the uterus, where it waits for sperm to fertilise it. When this doesn’t happen, the uterus sheds itself in the form of your period. But it’s still possible for ovulation to occur during your period, which means it’s possible for you to get pregnant when you have your period too.
3. You can’t eat some foods when you’re in the red
Do you want a chocolate brownie? Go for it. Maybe a slice of pizza with jelly beans on top? Do it. Slap chips dipped in peanut butter? Nobody is going to stop you, and neither will your body.
4. PMS is in your mind
Premenstrual Syndrome is a scientific event that happens in almost every woman’s body. It’s 100% real.
5. No period this month? You’re probably pregnant!
Your periods run in sync with the rest of your body – everything works together like a machine. Lots of things could be the reason behind a missed period, like stress, strenuous exercise, drastic weight fluctuations and illness. If you’re not sure what’s going down in your body, go have yourself checked out by a doc.
6. Your cycle is always 28 days
Begin your tally on the first day of your next period, and end it on the first day of the following flow. “The average menstrual cycle is 28 days long, but they can range anywhere from 21 to 35 days,” says Sophocles. While there’s no hard-and-fast rule about how many days each and every woman’s cycle must be, it’s wise to track your timing each month. And if your once regular flow is suddenly off-track, or you start bleeding between cycles, or you miss your period completely (like the above point) visit your doctor. It could mean that there’s something up with your health.
Looking for more info on your flow? Here’s why some periods are worse than others, plus seven ways to stop those pesky period pimples.