5 menstruation myths you must leave behind

Wiki Article

As of 2017, the world's population is 7.53 billion, of which 3.73 billion are born with female genitalia.

Virtually all of them have, have or have gone through menses, the part of the menstrual cycle in which the uterus sheds blood as well as mucosal tissue through the vagina.

Menstruation can last between 3 and 7 days and usually occurs every 28 days, although the length of the period can vary.

Although this biological process affects nearly half of the world's population, many myths and misconceptions about it persist.

Approximately half of the world’s population experiences, will experience, or has experienced menstruation, and yet myths about this biological process still abound. In this Spotlight feature, we debunk some of the most widespread menstruation misconceptions.


Cultures around the world still denigrate menstruation, viewing period blood as "dirty" and "unclean" and menstruation itself a taboo subject.

For example, although the practice is now mostly illegal, some communities - as a series of recent tragedies in Nepal have shown - still have so-called menstruation huts, in which women sleep during their periods. She spends days bleeding in complete isolation.

Although this is an extreme example, there are many myths and misconceptions about menstruation that are circulating around the world.

Read this spotlight feature to learn what some of the most popular misconceptions are, and why they're wrong.