Over the many many years, decades & centuries we have been menstruating on this planet, there have been many misconceptions developed in varying cultures and countries around periods. Some may hold some truths, some may have been proven to be complete fabrication, however there are many that still come up now, so the following are a few of the main misconceptions we have been asked about or have noticed over the last 2 years of developing Rosaseven, to put your mind at rest:

Are periods linked to the Moon?

For centuries, people have wondered whether the menstrual cycle was linked to the phases of the moon.

It’s easy to see where the idea came from. For starters, the average menstrual cycle lasts for about 28-29 days, the same as the lunar cycle.

We know that the moon controls the globe’s tides, so it isn’t so far-fetched to imagine that the moon might influence the internal tides of the menstrual cycle. While many scientific studies rebuke the hypothesis, the general public remains fascinated by the idea that menstruation and the moon may be linked.

One of the first people to comment towards a link between menstrual cycles and the moon was actually Charles Darwin. He observed the link between the length of the menstrual cycle and that of the lunar cycle and the regulation of the tides.

However, since then there have been numerous studies to investigate and determine whether this link is fact or fabrication.

A study in 1986 claimed that there was a link. After testing 826 women, the researchers found that 28.3 percent of women began their periods “around the new moon.” Another study in 1987 supported this study’s findings.

However, a 2019 study by the period tracking app Clue used data from 1.5 million users and found that there was no discernible link between the moon and natural menstruation.

So there you have it, despite the wonderings of the modern world and the fascination with the lunar cycle, our menstrual cycle is not connected!

Plants will die if you touch them on your period

The specific origin of this is unknown, however some cultures dating far back believe that women’s menstruation is impure and unholy, and if a women watered or touched them while menstruating, they would lose their sacred value.

A Viennese scientist Bela Schick believed in the 1920s that women released a substance he called ‘menotoxins’ which destroyed plants and stopped dough rising and beer fermenting…! There are many historical references to this, however, through a lot of research, we’re unsure quite where this one started, and it’s safe to say that it is definitely not true.

Plants don’t care or discriminate against who is caring for them or touching them. It won’t cause a leaf to turn brown or for the plant to die.

In-fact, if anything period blood has been shown to help plants to grow when integrated as a fertilizing treatment, so if anything, our menstruation can cause plants to thrive, not die!

Period blood is dirty & smelly 

A misconception that has been generated and passed on, however the truth is: No, Period blood doesn’t smell bad, and there’s nothing dirty, nasty or toxic about it.

No one can ‘smell’ that you’re on your period. This could only ever happen if you potentially had an additional vaginal infection at the same time which was causing a much stronger odour, or if you hadn’t changed you period pad for a long time.

The blood and fluid you lose during your period isn’t just blood, it’s a mix of bacteria, vaginal mucus and uterine wall lining, it does have a scent of its own and that is extremely normal, and only you can smell it when its ‘up-close’. There’s certainly nothing dirty or ‘smelly’ or wrong with menstrual blood.

If you are wearing disposable pads for a long period of time, the plastic content and the bacteria from your menstrual blood can make for an increased smell. Natural breathable Rosaseven period underwear is naturally antimicrobial and moisture wicking, so the bacteria can’t develop or grow once its absorbed which will inhibit any smell or odour from building, as opposed to the plastic ‘moist’ breeding ground you can get in plastic disposable pads.

However, if your menstrual blood has a strong or potent bad odour then it could be a sign of an underlying vaginal infection and you should seek treatment immediately for this.

You can’t get pregnant on your period

Alot of people do wonder - Can you get pregnant on your period? And the answer is YES, you can! It is harder to get pregnant on your period, so if you’re trying to conceive it’s not your ideal window; however the tail-end of your period can be close to your ovulation or even overlap in some people, and sperm can survive for several days inside your body so could fertilise an egg once it’s released. 

Sex on your period can have added benefits to your period symptoms as well as your overall mood, feelings and even cramps. So, you don’t need to be put off if both you and your partner are comfortable, however, if you do have sex on your period, make sure you’re careful if you’re not trying to conceive – just in case!

You can continue reading our additional articles on related topics:

How your body changes during pregnancy
&
What Does the colour & texture of vaginal discharge mean?

SOURCES:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7381001/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23889481/

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.abe1358?intcmp=trendmd-adv

https://www.sciencefocus.com/the-human-body/is-it-coincidental-that-the-human-menstrual-cycle-is-about-the-same-length-as-the-moon-cycle/

https://www.refinery29.com/en-ca/2018/11/217193/period-blood-smell

https://www.healthline.com/health/why-does-my-period-smell#rotten-smell

https://www.thecovaproject.com/cova-conversations/2020/9/11/does-menstruation-cause-plants-to-die-or-is-history-dumb

https://nuawoman.com/blog/myth-women-should-not-water-plants-during-their-periods/

https://www.jstor.org/stable/41463960

https://helloclue.com/articles/cycle-a-z/myth-moon-phases-menstruation