What about sex during the period? Debunking menstruation myths

Lots of misinformation handed down generation to generation has persisted around the period. Some of it is quite funny, e.g., that you would rather not pickle cucumbers or bake cakes or visit a dentist while on your period (interestingly, over 20% of women still believe this to be true). However, there are also myths that have a great impact on our lives and are harmful and can lead to misconceptions, wrong attitudes and even risky behaviour. Let’s debunk them once and for all!

Most common period myths

You cannot get pregnant during your period.

Myth. A survey conducted by the Kulczyk Foundation in 2020 revealed this to be one of the most common myths both among adult women and among teens. Menstruation is commonly believed to be an infertile period, but there is a catch ... Our bodies do not run like a Swiss watch and not all processes occur by the book. It can happen that a woman’s menstrual cycle is shorter than the textbook 28 days and, consequently, ovulation does not occur in two weeks as biology textbooks tell you but rather it takes place just a few days after the period ends. Coupled with the fact that the time of intercourse may differ from the time of conception as sperm can survive inside a woman’s body for up to five days, that means that having sex during the period is not ‘safe’ at all and can result in pregnancy.

Missing your period always means pregnancy.

Myth. Pregnancy is just one of the possible causes for missed periods. Another equally obvious reason can be menopause. Also, periods do not occur in women who are taking hormonal contraception (drugs reduce the thickness of endometrium so that bleeding is scarce or absent). Absence of regular periods can be a sign of health issues, or more precisely, of a hormonal imbalance. If hormones do not work well, ovulation may stop, the endometrium may grow abnormally, or PCOS may develop, and all that can manifest in the absence of monthly bleeding. Remember: the absence of regular periods (in adult women before menopause) is always a sure sign that you need to consult a gynaecologist.

Getting your period always hurts.

Myth. The belief that the period must hurt is one of the most harmful misconceptions for women. Certainly, uterine cramps that occur during menstruation can be painful but they should not prevent you from functioning normally. However, many females suffer from severe pain during bleeding and are unable to work or go to school, and when they tell their doctor, they hear that ‘having a period means having pain’. Actually, severe menstrual pain is one of the major (and most often neglected) signs of endometriosis, a medical condition that affects one in ten Polish women. The pain that occurs in endometriosis results from the inflammation developing in the body. The endometrium tissue ‘moves’ outside the uterus to other organs and attaches to them and sheds just like it does in the uterus. It does not have a natural way out, however, so it stays inside the body, causing inflammation. Hence, it produces terrible pain and causes problems getting pregnant. Women who deal with endometriosis all agree that it is so nasty that they wouldn’t wish it on their worst enemy. So, don’t believe it when they tell you that ‘having a period hurts’ or ’that’s what it means to be a woman’.

You can’t have sex during menstruation

Myth. There are no medical indications against having sex during period. Conversely, there is evidence that having an orgasm can relieve menstrual pain. Uterine contractions in response to orgasm trigger a rush of endorphins and oxytocin, which are natural painkillers. In addition, research show that libido levels in women are higher during menstruation. However, they do not initiate intercourse for fear of the partner’s reaction. This is because menstrual blood is considered impure, which is another myth. There are no impurities in it. This is a mixture of mucus, body fluids and endometrium. That is why the only indication against having sex during period is the discomfort that a woman may feel, nothing else.

Period = fertility

Myth. Regular periods do not mean that a woman has no fertility problems. Anovulatory cycles that make it impossible to conceive may occur even in a woman with regular menstruation who has no hormonal problems.

Period fast facts, or a handful of figures

On average, a woman will menstruate 450 times in her life.

6 years is the total amount of time that a women will bleed throughout her life.

40 years is the statistical timespan of menstruation in a woman from the first period till menopause.

50 to 80 ml of menstrual fluid is discharged by a woman during a normal period.

According to a report by the Kulczyk Foundation, 30% of women experience PMS.

In her lifetime, a woman will spend approximately PLN 6,000 on menstrual products.

Every 10th woman in Europe is affected by period poverty.

Paulina Kurowska-Ciupka

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